Armthorpe Daycare Nursery

Armthorpe Daycare Nursery Church Street, Armthorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN3 3AH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/04/2013 03/03/2011

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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 enjoy their time as they play and learn in a caring, supportive environment. The friendly staff team work hard to ensure that all children make good progress in their learning and development.  Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of every child's interests, abilities and languages spoken. Therefore, they support children well to feel emotionally secure.  The management team show a strong commitment to continually improve the nursery provision through setting ambitious targets and improvement plans. The vision and dedication of this team, and the staff, provide a stimulating learning environment.  Children make good progress because staff make assessments of their starting points, monitor progress and take very good account of their individual interests when planning activities.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not consistently use mathematical language in everyday routines or play in order to extend children's already very good understanding of numbers and shapes and to enhance their mathematical skills.  Opportunities to encourage children's self-reliance and rapidly developing independence skills during snack and meal times are not consistent.

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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 spoke to the manager, staff and children during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children during play, focused activities, physical activity in the soft play room and snack and meal times.

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Inspection activities

 A range of documents in each base room were inspected, including observations of children, planning, assessment records and medication records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and the deputy, and took account of the views of two parents spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability, policies, procedures, risk assessments and training certificates.

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Information about the setting

Armthorpe Daycare Nursery was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Armthorpe area of Doncaster. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a single-storey building and there are fully enclosed areas available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including the manager, who has Early Years Professional Status and Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, apart from the week between Christmas and New Year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 88 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds and receives support from the local authority. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 develop the educational programme for mathematics further by providing further opportunities for children to hear and use mathematical language, such as encouraging children to sort the toys as they tidy up or counting the pieces of fruit on their plates at snack time

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

 review routines to ensure opportunities for children to develop their self-reliance and independence skills are consistently provided, such as pouring their own drinks and serving their own food.

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who attend

All staff have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and implement it well to promote children's learning and development. They spend time observing children and use this information effectively to identify the next steps in children's individual learning. Consequently, all children make good progress towards the early learning goals in relation to their starting points. Staff plan and provide interesting experiences and activities that challenge children to make good progress. They use the information that parents share about their child's learning at home alongside their own knowledge of children's abilities within the nursery. Staff keep parents well informed of children's progress, mainly through verbal exchanges on a daily basis and during open evenings. Children benefit from a good balance of adult-led and child-led activities. These ensure that there is variety in their play and learning.

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who attend

Toddlers are happy as they explore wooden rings and begin to stack them, persevering until they have completed the task. Staff praise them and provide running commentaries about what they are doing and listen to young children's developing language skills. They play alongside children, labelling and extending their vocabulary as they play. As a result, language development is further encouraged through effective interaction. The staff model clear language without discouraging children's efforts, as children attempt to copy sounds and words. This means that children's developing skills in communication are well supported.

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who attend

Children gather together at the start of the morning for circle time. They are individually welcomed and take turns to independently find their name card and display it on the board. Children also choose activities they want to do and place their name next to the pictorial card. This means that they actively choose what they want to do and how they will do it. Staff listen to children, questioning them during activities in order to extend their learning and understanding. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. They are active learners, creative and think critically because staff allow time for them to respond, and sensitively listen to their views.

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who attend

Children are taking an active role in their learning during routine sessions for self-chosen play. For example, they look at a display board of insects and begin to name them. They decide to search in a play tray to find the creatures which have been hidden under shredded paper. This stimulates children's interest and they engage in sustained shared thinking with staff. However, there are missed opportunities to encourage counting and using mathematical language by asking questions such as, 'how many creatures have you found?' Children's communication and language development is fostered very well through conversation and small group activities. For example, children make sensory bags using cotton wool balls and adding different smells, such as vanilla, lemon and peppermint. One child says 'lemon' and the staff member repeats the word and adds 'yes it does smell like a lemon'. This consolidates children's understanding and extends their vocabulary very

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

Children's personal, social and emotional development is well supported and they feel safe and secure as they begin to attend the nursery. This is because of the close and effective partnership working between the staff and parents. Staff are deployed effectively to supervise children at all times ,and this promotes their safety well. Staff find out about children's likes, dislikes and care routines prior to them attending and during taster sessions. This helps children to settle and build trusting relationships with staff. The successful implementation of the key person approach ensures children feel safe and secure in the nursery. Children play very well together and behave well; they are encouraged to behave in a positive and respectful manner, which helps to keep themselves and their peers safe. The nursery has a warm and friendly atmosphere, which helps the children settle quickly. The staff know the children very well and demonstrate

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

positive interactions with them. Consequently, children approach the staff with ease, asking for help or offering suggestions. This means that their needs are very well met and this develops their self-esteem. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning because the majority of children transfer to the local school and the staff provide appropriate support to prepare them for this transition.

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

The health and welfare of children are supported as they enjoy a variety of snacks. They sit together and enjoy chatting to staff and each other. They are familiar with routines, such as washing hands before eating and putting coats on for outdoor play. Children are developing good self-care skills as they independently wash their own hands. However, these self-care skills are not consistently promoted in regard to children pouring their own drinks. This is because not all staff consistently allow children to try doing this for themselves, which impacts on their developing independence.

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

Staff plan exciting activities and learning experiences which support children's healthy lifestyles, including physical activities. For example, children have tremendous fun in the soft play room. They clamber on the equipment, chasing each other and decide to play 'monsters'. Staff hide themselves and some of the children under a large, lightweight blanket as they play hide and seek. Children jump into the ball pool to hide and excitedly repeat the game, giggling and calling out to each other. These energetic sessions encourage children to be active and provide them with opportunities to tackle a range of levels and surfaces. The large play equipment can be used in different ways as children make play spaces by stacking the construct blocks.

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

Children also benefit from regular trips within the local community; they visit parks and shops to buy ingredients for baking activities. This means they are beginning to understand about people and communities and learn about differences between people. This also helps to build children's confidence and independence away from the main care setting, and helps to prepare them for future transitions, such as starting nursery and school. The nursery has extremely good links with the local children's centre and other early years settings which children attend. For example, they share information about children's progress with the school nursery, and teachers visit the children prior to them beginning school.

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provision

All staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how to protect children in their care. They know the procedures they must follow should a concern arise. Full written safeguarding policies and procedures are in place. These are reviewed regularly to ensure that all information is accurate and in line with the latest guidelines, which includes the use of mobile phones. Children's safety is further enhanced because the nursery keeps the premises secure at all times. For example, the only access into the nursery is via a biometric fingerprinting system. Staff also carry out safety checks and risk assessments which help to maximise safety within the nursery. Good ratios are maintained to further promote children's welfare. Staff turnover is very low and they are well deployed with more experienced staff leading practice in each of the rooms.

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provision

Recruitment and vetting procedures ensure all adults are suitable to work with children. A full induction programme for new staff and students on placements helps to ensure that everyone is well aware of their roles and responsibilities. Staff receive ongoing training following their induction. This includes accessing a range of internal and external training courses, such as first aid, and they are supported to attend training with the local authority. The manager monitors staff's performance and the quality of teaching. This also includes how effectively the staff plan for individual children and how well they implement the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are good and parents say they feel welcome and are kept well informed about their children's progress. This is mainly through daily verbal exchanges and open evenings. The children's assessment records are also easily accessible for parents to view at any time. The information they receive from the nursery helps them to continue their child's learning at home, which further supports their progress. For example, a welcome pack and regular newsletters are provided.

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provision

All staff, parents and children are included in the self-evaluation process to ensure that their views are used to drive improvement. Secure partnerships are established with other professionals and agencies to fully support children and help them reach their full potential. Staff welcome the advice and guidance from the local authority and know how to access external agencies if children require additional support in their learning and development. In addition, staff work successfully with the management team to try out new approaches and constantly improve their practice for children who attend. They have very clear views on how they are going to develop the setting further and have formed realistic and challenging targets.

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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 EY291424 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 912441

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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 98 Name of provider Armthorpe Daycare Nursery Date of previous inspection 03/03/2011 Telephone number 01302 834 646

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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

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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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