Puffins in the City

Puffins in the City Puffins at Southernhay, Keble House, Southernhay Gardens, EXETER, EX1 1NT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/06/2013 11/04/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Positive partnerships are formed with parents and they have ongoing involvement in their child's learning. This effectively promotes continuity for children.  Staff are friendly and caring, which encourages children to respond happily to them.  Children's understanding of healthy eating is promoted well as they enjoy a range of nutritious snacks and meals.  Staff plan activities according to children's particular interests, which encourages their involvement in play.

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It is not yet good because

 Risk assessments are completed; however, adult to child ratios are not effectively assessed for each type of outing.  Appropriate behaviour management strategies are agreed, but these are not consistently followed in practice for all children.  Staff deployment and the organisation of some everyday routine activities does not maximise the learning opportunities for all children.  Children's independent choice of a wide range of toys and resources is not fully supported within all age groups.

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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 both indoors and outdoors.  The inspector had discussions with management, nursery staff and children.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken with at the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation, such as safeguarding procedures and planning and observation systems.  The inspector viewed the nursery's self-evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

Puffins in the City registered in 1999. It is a run by a privately-owned company who own a chain of nurseries within the South West of England. The nursery operates from the lower ground floor of Keble House in Southernhay, situated in the centre of Exeter, Devon. Children are cared for in three age-groups, using five play areas with integral bathroom facilities, a nappy changing room, kitchen and sleep room for babies. The nursery is largely open plan, with transparent partitions dividing the play areas. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area, which is a short walk from the nursery. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 87 children on roll. The nursery is in receipt of early years education funding for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children who learn English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. It employs 20 staff, of whom two hold a level 6 qualification in childcare, two hold level 4 qualifications and eight hold level 3 qualifications. Six staff are currently working towards a level 2 qualification. There is also a housekeeper and a mealtime assistant employed. The nursery is supported by a senior management team from the company's head office in Exeter.

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must:

 improve the ways in which staff implement agreed behaviour management strategies, to help children learn how to manage their feelings and understand appropriate behaviour and safety boundaries

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must:

 improve the systems of risk assessment for all outings, such as the journey to and from the garden area, to include clear consideration of adult to child ratios.

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

 review the deployment of staff and the organisation of some everyday routines and activities, to maximise children's learning experiences, with particular regard to further developing their independence and social skills

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

 review the organisation of some play areas and resources to fully support children's independent choices and support their spontaneous ideas in play.

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who attend

Staff have a sound understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements. They observe children's play and identify their next steps of learning in liaison with their parents. This effectively helps them in planning purposeful activities that build on children's interests and skills. For instance, children show an interest in trains. Staff plan a trip to the local train station so children can look at different trains and go on a short train ride. This actively promotes children's understanding of the world. Younger children talk about bubbles. Staff find a large bubble wand and help them use this to blow some beautiful bubbles. Children watch in wonder as the bubbles float around and laugh as they pop in the air. This activity excites children's curiosity and their understanding of language as they learn the meaning of new words, such as 'bubble' or 'pop'. Consequently, children are supported well in gaining the interest to develop their

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who attend

Pre-school children like to look through the travel brochures in their role play 'travel agents' shop. They start to 'write' some postcards for their friends. They use the keyboard to 'type' up their 'holiday bookings'. This encourages children's imaginative ideas and their early mark making skills in 'writing' for a purpose. Staff talk with children about the different celebrations that happen in each country. As a result, children gain a positive awareness of how others live in their world. Toddlers enjoy their cooking activities and readily experiment by spooning melted chocolate, sprinkles and marshmallows into their bowls of cereal. Staff introduce new words, such as 'full', 'big' and 'small'. They ask children if they need 'more' chocolate and how many marshmallows they can count in their bowl. As a result, children begin to develop their awareness of early mathematical language and concepts. Babies show delight as they happily explore a bowl of bubbly

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who attend

water. They smile as they splash their hands in the water and start to empty and fill the colourful cups and bowls provided. This provides meaningful experiences for babies, which helps them gain the confidence to explore through safe sensory play.

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who attend

Overall, staff provide a range of meaningful play experiences, which generally support children's interests. This encourages their participation in play. However, at times staff do not sufficiently organise some activities or everyday routines to effectively engage or motivate children's learning. For example, staff deployment is not effective at mealtimes for some children. Too many staff become involved in fetching children's food or helping other children in the bathroom. As a result, some children start eating before others and some become restless. In addition, opportunities to promote children's learning and social skills at mealtimes are limited. For instance, pre-school children are encouraged to serve themselves their food, but are given a long handled large spoon. While they make positive attempts to get their food to their plates, using this size spoon does not support them well in developing their independence and coordination skills. This has an impact on how

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who attend

children are supported in making progress in some aspects of their learning.

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who attend

Staff are aware of the importance of maintaining liaison with other settings children attend. They initiate contact and share information that will support continuity in children's learning. Positive partnerships are formed with parents. They say their children enjoy coming to the nursery and that staff are very friendly. Parents say they feel involved in their child's learning and are kept well-informed of their child's achievements. For example, staff and parents complete the progress check for two-year-old children together. This helps them monitor how children are developing and identify their next stages of learning.

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

Staff provide a friendly welcome for children and their families. They liaise effectively with children's parents through a positive settling-in process. This supports staff well in getting to know the routines and needs of their key group children. As a result, babies settle comfortably to sleep and go easily to staff for cuddles, which shows they feel safe in their care. Children enjoy the nutritious snacks and meals provided, such as melon, orange pieces, chicken casserole or cheesy potato and lentil bake. Staff incorporate ways of promoting healthy eating awareness into planned activities. This actively supports children in developing their understanding of a healthy diet. Staff encourage children to control their bodies as they walk carefully along the balancing blocks. They sometimes visit a nearby park and develop confidence in walking across the 'wobbly bridge'. Staff provide babies with 'tummy time' activities to encourage them in reaching out for their toys. This

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

effectively supports their mobility as they start to move through the early stages of crawling. As a result, staff actively promote children's physical health and development. Staff generally follow appropriate procedures to help children feel safe. For example, babies are strapped safely in low, sturdy, wooden chairs to sit at meal tables. They sleep in comfortable cots with individual bedding, which actively helps to prevent the spread of infection. The nursery forms their 'Golden rules', such as 'we do not jump on the sofa or stand on the furniture'. However, during register time, some pre-school children stand on the sofa or climb over a wooden seating unit. While overall children behave well, some staff do not intervene to consistently promote positive reinforcement strategies. This does not effectively help children manage their emotions or develop their understanding of keeping safe within acceptable behaviour boundaries. This has been identified as an area

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

to improve by the nursery management and appropriate behaviour management strategies have been agreed. However, these are currently not sufficiently implemented and have an impact on how all children are supported in preparing for their move onto school.

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

Children are cared for in spacious, light play rooms with well-maintained furniture and equipment. Babies have plenty of space to roll, crawl or attempt their first steps of walking. They can easily access a wide variety of exciting toys and resources. For instance, they like to push the sensory tubes across the floor. They examine a range of musical rollers and colourful activity centres with interest. Staff review the layout of play rooms to support children's needs. For example, they rearrange activity tables to reduce the openness of the play room. This has a positive impact by encouraging children not to run inside. However, the organisation of toys and resources for the older children does not fully encourage their independent choices in all areas of their learning. This limits their self-selection and spontaneous ideas in some aspects of their play. Staff make positive use of local resources to support children's interests. For instance, they sometimes walk to the

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

nearby supermarket or library. This provides children with positive opportunities to learn about their community.

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provision

Staff have an appropriate understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage safeguarding and welfare requirements. Staff attend safeguarding training and demonstrate a suitable awareness of possible signs that may cause concerns about a child's well-being. The nursery management implement clear policies and systems to support the management of any concerns arising. This helps to protect children's welfare. Risk assessments of the premises identify potential hazards and positive steps are taken to minimise these. For instance, 'Wet floor' signs are displayed when children are involved with bubble or water play activities. Visitors' attendance is recorded and mobile phones and cameras are not in use on the premises. This promotes a safer indoor play environment for children.

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provision

This inspection was prompted by Ofsted following a notification received relating to a safety incident in the garden area. This raised concerns about safeguarding and supervision of children, security in the garden, risk assessment systems and staff deployment. Staff and management have reacted promptly to this incident and as a consequence, a thorough investigation has been completed. In addition, policies and procedures relating to children's safety have been reviewed and discussed with all staff. For example, the process of risk assessment for the garden area has been updated. As a result, procedures to maintain children's security and provide appropriate staff deployment in the garden have been improved. This helps to promote children's welfare. However, some aspects of risk relating to the journey to and from the garden area are not always effectively assessed. For example, staff do not consistently assess the needs of all children

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provision

in relation to appropriate adult to child ratios. While staff overall are competent in their roles, this breach of a legal requirement still has an impact on some areas of children's well-being.

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provision

Clear staff recruitment procedures are in place and staff development is well supported through regular supervision and appraisal systems. Management continually reflect on practice and review procedures to make improvements. For instance, following recommendations from the last inspection, staff now take mobile phones with them to the garden play area. This contributes to the effectiveness of the management of an emergency situation. Staff meet regularly and evaluate the effectiveness of planned activities in supporting children's progress. This actively helps them identify areas for development and they show a positive approach to making continual improvements.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that children's behaviour is consistently managed in a suitable manner (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that children's behaviour is consistently managed in a suitable manner (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 EY300240 Local authority Devon Inspection number 922930

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 87 Name of provider Puffins of Exeter Ltd Date of previous inspection 11/04/2011 Telephone number 01392 494291

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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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