Charlwood House Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique Reference Number EY267694 Inspection date 20/02/2007 Inspector Janet Marie Thouless / Jill Steer

p.1

Setting address Charlwood House, Charlwood Road, Lowfield Heath, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 0QA

p.1

Telephone number 01293 565544 E-mail admin@charlwood-house.co.uk Registered person Bellcross Ent Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School care

p.1

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be freely reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided the source and date of publication are stated.

p.1

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

p.2

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage.

p.2

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

p.2

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The provider must give a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must give a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Day Care and Childminding (inspection) (England) Regulations 2005 No 2300 Regulations 5 and 6).

p.2

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

p.2

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Charlwood House Day Nursery opened in 2003. It operates from eight rooms in a large, detached house on the outskirts of Crawley. There are gardens for outside play to the front and rear of the property. Children are accepted at the nursery from a wide area.

p.3

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 125 children aged over three months to under eight years may attend the nursery and holiday club at any one time. The nursery is open from 07:30 to 18:30, Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year, being closed for two weeks at Christmas. The holiday club is also open from 07:30 to 18:30 during school holidays. Currently there are 127 children on roll of which 51 receive funding for nursery education. The settings currently supports children with additional needs, and who speak English as an additional language.

p.3

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 28 full and part-time staff who work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 2 or 3. There are currently six staff working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a mentor from the local authority.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children stay healthy and are protected, because the nursery follows effective health and hygiene guidelines and procedures. Children learn the importance of good hygiene practice; for example, hand washing before and after meals, messy play and toilet routines. Therefore, children increase their independence and personal care successfully through consistent daily routines and support from the staff team. Younger children are changed on clean changing mats, staff wear gloves and aprons and dispose of nappies appropriately. Anti-bacterial cleaners are used effectively to wipe tables used for meals and to sanitise toilet and nappy changing areas. Children have clean cots and mattresses and their own bed linen; they can sleep according to their individual needs and are monitored through the use of a baby monitor and frequent staff visual checks.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are developing a good understanding of food that is good for them; they are developing a taste for 'good' food and healthy living. They are provided with a broad range of fruits and vegetables. Nourishing freshly prepared organic meals are made available from outside caterers and children learn about healthy eating through related discussions and activities. Individual dietary needs are discussed with parents, recorded and displayed, to ensure all children receive a diet, which is appropriate for their individual needs and well being. Meal times are sociable and relaxed occasions. Effective procedures are in place to ensure the nursery acts in the best interest of the child if they are ill, the majority of staff hold current first aid certificates and keep all necessary medical and accident records. Children have opportunities to rest and sleep according to their individual needs in comfortable surroundings and charts are

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children develop a positive attitude to exercise and participate in daily activities helping to increase their understanding of the benefits of vigorous play and fresh air. They ride and manoeuvre wheeled toys in the garden and use climbing apparatus with good control and co-ordination. They participate in aerobics and dance showing great delight and excitement when they recognise the music and rhymes being played.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for in a welcoming, safe and secure environment because the nursery takes positive steps to ensure the safety of children. The organisation and rotation of toys, resources and equipment means that children move around safely and independently to access available resources on offer. Children enjoy playing with a wide range of good quality resources and participate in a broad range of activities which help them to progress in all areas of their development.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for in a safe environment. There is a good security system in place for the safe arrival and departure of children and to protect children from intruders. Children are kept safe whilst moving around the nursery because staff are well deployed and provide children with good levels of supervision. There are effective procedures for completing risk assessments to protect children from potential hazards. Children are developing a good understanding of fire safety because they have regular opportunities to practise fire evacuation procedures.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected because the staff team understands their role in safeguarding children. Effective procedures advise parents of their responsibility and the staff team know how to record and refer any concerns. Up-to-date contact details regarding a referral are recorded in child protection procedures. This ensures the nursery acts in the best interest to safeguard the welfare of the children in their care.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children of all ages are confident and settled in the nursery. They enjoy a welcoming and colourful child centred nursery environment, in which they have opportunities to enjoy free flow play and organised activities in welcoming surroundings. They have good relationships with staff, who know them well and respond to them warmly. This fosters children's emotional wellbeing and self esteem.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff working with babies have a good understanding of their individual needs. Staff are mindful of babies’ individual routines and work in partnership with parents to maintain these. Babies receive lots of praise, cuddles and attention, which helps them settle quickly and develop trusting relationships with the staff team. They enjoy exploring homemade shakers, colourful plastic rattles, stacking beakers and musical mobiles showing pleasure with gurgling sounds and smiles. However, young children have few opportunities to explore natural textures within the range of activities on offer. Staff interaction is good with staff talking constantly to the children to foster early communication and language development.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children under three arrive happy, confidently wave good-bye to parents and join in activities on offer. They play with a good range of activities and participate with enjoyment. They build with confidence, enjoy creative media and take pleasure in songs and action rhymes. Staff support children well, providing them with plenty of praise and encouragement. They help children express their thoughts and ideas and follow their individual interests.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Holiday club children are fully engaged in purposeful play. They select from a good range of creative media producing detailed craft work. They sit together and enjoy completing traditional games, such as, scrabble. They show great enthusiasm when participating in table hockey and use their imaginations well when playing with Lego ships. They have opportunities to use the outdoor area for more vigorous play. Staff are good role models joining in children's play; children enjoy their company and staff demonstrate a positive attitude to learning with an emphasis on fun and relaxation.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching is good. All staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and support children's progress through the stepping stones. They plan and provide a broad range of stimulating activities and experiences across the six areas of learning. Children enjoy getting fully involved in focused activities, which are planned in three levels to ensure they are suitable for all children to participate in at their own pace. Observations inform staff of children's progress, enabling them to plan the next stage in learning. The teaching skills of staff ensure the activities provide interest to the children, helping them to become focused, able to resist distractions and to persist for some time. The methods of teaching provide challenge and staff have realistic expectations and support children to enable them to achieve as much as they can.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children arrive and settle quickly, they separate easily from parents, seek out friends during play and welcome them into the setting by name. They are becoming confident learners as they move between and ask to join in activities. They approach staff to talk to, express their views and ideas and have established warm and friendly relationships with both staff and each other. Children are able to concentrate on self- chosen challenges, for example, pouring dry sand through a water wheel and watching it flow down over the wheel, scooping up more and pouring it in, carefully pushing the last few grains down the hole and repeating this several times, consistently watching the movement of the sand as it flowed down through the hole to the wheel. Children benefit from the wide range of books in the welcoming and comfortable book corners, books are stored at low level and are easy for children to access. Children enjoy stimulating stories either read with staff, friends, or as a

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

larger group. They know to handle books correctly, turn pages carefully and show interest in their content. Children talk confidently at snack time commenting on their different shoes, discussing colours and that some have sparkly lights.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children explore descriptive language for thinking, sharing stories of personal experiences, such as, a trip to America to see Grandparents. They develop their understanding of the codes of conversations, listening with interest to each other speak and responding with comment or question. Children have some opportunities for mark making, including the use of paint and pens. The well equipped writing area allows children to access resources freely and independently. However, children only used this area on occasions to practice writing for a purpose. Children count confidently together up to 10 and beyond. They learn to count simple number operations during stories and number rhymes.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about information and technology as they use the programmable tools, calculators and the computer with skill and confidence. They support and guide each other, for example, ‘you need to click on the cross’, ‘point it over the teddy’ when using the computer. They are able to close and open programmes on the computer itself, selecting and changing the discs without support.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about the community and where they belong and can state their address and talk about where they live in relation to friends and family. Children celebrate festivals, such as, Chinese New Year by making dragon masks and other creative media. However, their are too few opportunities for children to study nature and the natural world through spontaneous play or planned activities. Children have many opportunities to use a wide range of resources and media to make pictures, collages and models. They choose favourite rhymes and co-operate well in their actions. Children learn about their senses in themes, activities and stories, recognising feelings in stories as they identify if a character is 'happy or sad'.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

A very friendly atmosphere welcomes children and their families to the nursery. Partnership with parents is good. Staff keep parents well informed about their children's progress and development through newsletters, daily discussions and individual children's assessments records. Parents evening are held four times a year to share children's records and discuss their progress. A weekly folder goes home with information regarding what children have done that week and what is planned for the next week. This enables parents to become fully involved and support children's learning at home. Children demonstrate a sense of belonging as they share their experiences about their own lives and families. They are introduced to other cultural traditions through planned activities, which helps to develop a positive attitude and respect for others. The selection of resources available such as books, puzzles and small world figures,

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

provide children with a positive view of the world around them. Children are treated with respect, helping them to feel good about themselves and become confident learners. They show a strong sense of belonging, developing their self-esteem as achievements are celebrated by displaying their work on the walls.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff team manages children’s behaviour sensitively and effectively, increasing children's understanding of right and wrong by using simple strategies, such as, being kind and helpful to each other, which children understand and comply with. Overall, the nursery helps individual children learn to recognise and value their own needs and those of others and to understand when to behave appropriately, which fosters their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with additional needs are welcomed into the inclusive environment and staff provide appropriate levels of additional support as necessary, including working with outside agencies as required. Systems are in place to ensure children are supported effectively and their needs met through co-operation between staff, parents and outside agencies.

p.7

Organisation

Children are cared for by experienced qualified staff who have been appropriately vetted to ensure they are suitable to work with young children. Induction training, policies and procedures work well in practice ensuring the efficient and smooth management of the nursery. However, some policies require updating to fully comply with the National Standards and current guidelines.

p.7

Organisation

Leadership & management is good. The effective leadership and management of the provision and the educational programme enable children to make good progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Management ensure staff are motivated and well trained, therefore staff have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage and stepping stones. Management have a clear vision for the nursery education, they set clear directions for continual improvements in the organisation of nursery education and the outcomes for children. Management promote an inclusive care and learning environment in which every child matters. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the nursery were asked to ensure Ofsted is informed of notifiable diseases and to develop staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. Ensure staff: child ratios are maintained at all times and make sure staff contact details are always available. Staff have now updated their knowledge on safeguarding children, procedures are in place to notify Ofsted of notifiable diseases, staff: child ratios are maintained at all times and staff contact details are to hand. This ensures children's and staff's safety and well being.

p.7

Complaints about the childcare provision

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that require the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

p.8

Complaints about the childcare provision

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.8

WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.8

WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

 continue to expand the range of resources for young children to offer a wider range of experiences.  update policies and procedures in line with current National Standards and guidelines.

p.8

WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

The quality and standards of nursery education

p.8

WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.8

WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

 extend opportunities for children to practice writing in everyday situations.  develop activities which help children learn about their environment and the world around them. procedures set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted’s role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2473) which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.8