Puffins Nursery

Puffins of Exeter Child Care Centre 13 Mont le Grand, Exeter, EX1 2PD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/07/2013 26/05/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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 cared for in a safe and welcoming environment. They settle quickly and develop good relationships with adults and one another.  Overall, staff plan a broad range of learning experiences, inside and out, that help children make good progress in their learning and development.  Staff prepare children well for starting school, through encouraging their independence in practical skills. The pre-school room provides a stimulating environment where children are keen to learn.  Effective partnerships with parents and other professionals enable staff to meet children's needs well.  Management and staff evaluate the provision successfully to identify areas for development, helping to improve the outcomes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not regularly use mathematical language when supporting younger children's self-chosen activities, to extend children's knowledge and understanding.  The organisation of the toddler room, and some adult-led activities, does not always encourage the younger children to join in or explore all the resources.

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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 children's activities in all three rooms and outside.  The inspector talked to staff and children.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation and records, which included children's progress records.  The inspector took into account parents' views, obtained in person.

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Information about the setting

Puffins of Exeter at Mont le Grand was registered in 1990 and is situated in the residential area of Heavitree, near to the city centre of Exeter. The nursery is privately owned and is one of seven nurseries in the Puffins of Exeter group. The nursery occupies a semi- detached, Georgian, four-storey house where the children are cared for in three groups, each with its own dedicated staff team. Children under the age of three years are accommodated on the ground floor, while those aged three and above have separate facilities and their own entrance on the lower level. Kitchen facilities provide the nursery with daily cooked meals. Management and administrative staff work on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden available for outdoor play. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 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 64 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who learn English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs a team of 11 staff to work with the children. Of these, three hold an early years degree and most of the others are qualified to level 3. The nursery also employs a cook and a housekeeper.

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

 use opportunities in younger children's self-chosen play to develop further children's understanding of mathematical language

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

 review the organisation of resources and adult-led activities in the toddler room to extend children's learning experiences.

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who attend

Children enjoy their time at the nursery, where they are involved in a broad range of activities that help them learn through play. Overall, staff have a good understanding of child development and how children learn. From a young age, staff provide opportunities for children to choose what they want to play with and encourage them to investigate and explore. However, the organisation of some adult-led activities for toddlers is not fully effective in encouraging children's participation. For example, as children come inside from outdoor play, they cannot focus on a planned 'hide and seek' game, as staff are involved in changing children's clothes. Staff implement a clear assessment system to monitor and promote children's good progress in their overall development. The online system enables parents to see their children's records at any time and encourages their contributions. Staff clearly link observations of children's play and achievements to stages of

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who attend

development. Staff use the information effectively to plan next steps. The detailed assessment system contributes well to the progress check for two-year-olds, which key persons complete with parents and share with health visitors.

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who attend

Overall, staff promote children's language well. They talk purposefully with children as they join in their activities. Adults acknowledge young children's attempts to communicate, regularly repeating words, and naming objects and familiar people. Young babies start to recognise members of their group by looking at photographs of people they know. Pre- school staff encourage children to think, recall and solve problems by asking open-ended questions. For example, children excitedly anticipate what will happen as they add and remove sand from weighing scales. They count how many spades of sand they need to make the scales balance. Enthusiastic staff value children's ideas and are sensitive in recognising the importance of children extending their own learning.

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who attend

Some children are confident speakers; they are keen to initiate conversations and describe what they are doing. For example, children talk about the treasure maps they are drawing. Staff extend their thinking about direction, whether to go 'right' or 'left'. Staff are implementing ideas from the Every Child a Talker programme, which helps encourage language and communication for those children who do not speak as confidently. For example, they are developing a quiet room for use with small groups of children, to enable them to develop their listening and speaking skills. Staff supply a good range of books; all children can select for themselves to enjoy a book independently or with a friend. Children develop an understanding of number and shape through games, songs and counting everyday objects. For example, older children count how many peas are in a pod and record their findings as drawings. Staff working with younger children do not regularly use

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who attend

positional language as they join in children's play. Therefore, younger children miss opportunities to learn about concepts such as behind, in front, above or below.

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who attend

Staff provide various opportunities for children to learn about the world around them. They take children on outings in the local area where they meet other people, use alternative play equipment, and explore the environment. Children enjoy planting, nurturing and harvesting vegetables in the garden. This helps them understand about changes in nature. Children like to hunt for bugs in the digging area, identifying and matching what they find to pictures and recording how many of each they have found.

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

Staff get to know children well as individuals. They seek information from parents when children start at the nursery, which enables them to meet individual needs well. Staff respect babies' routines with regard to sleep and eating, which contributes to the smooth move between home and the nursery. Children develop warm and trusting relationships with staff and one another. They are confident in making their needs known, as they are sure of a friendly and caring response. Staff display a wealth of photographs of the children and people who are familiar to them, which helps children develop a strong sense of belonging. Staff plan group times where children come together, and from a young age children start to understand they are part of a community. Older children enjoy talking about their family and friends as they add photos to the 'Family Tree' display. They like to take home 'Henry' (a soft toy) and relay the adventures they have had together, with

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

Children behave well. They understand what staff expect of them through familiar routines and clear explanations. For example, staff warn children prior to changing activities or moving to a different area of the premises. As staff refer to the minutes on a clock, children also learn about the passing of time. Staff regularly praise children's efforts and achievements, which helps boost their self-esteem. Children learn about their own safety, as staff remind them about moving and using equipment sensibly. For example, children understand how to hold scissors safely when handing them to a friend. Staff teach children about hazards and how to be safe on roads. Staff carry out frequent fire drills, which helps children understand what to expect in an emergency situation.

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

Children confidently move around the nursery, making their own choices from a good range of resources. Staff store play equipment at low level with written labels and pictures. This means that children can select for themselves and extend their own play and learning. However, the arrangement of the role play area in the toddler room does not attract children to regularly play with the resources available. From a young age, children practise good routines for personal hygiene and they start to use toilet and hand washing facilities independently. Children make choices from healthy options at meal times, from food freshly prepared on the premises. They are increasing skills in pouring their own drinks, and serving their own food. Therefore, children are developing independence skills that will be useful as they move on to school. Children have fresh air and exercise several times during the day when they play in the garden or go for walks.

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

They enjoy investigating and transferring water and sand. They manoeuvre wheeled vehicles, avoiding obstacles and one another. Staff plan activities to challenge children's thinking such as a 'shape treasure hunt'. Visits to a local play park provide opportunities for more able children to develop good physical skills as they use more challenging equipment and complete obstacle courses.

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provision

Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the welfare, safeguarding and learning and development requirements. They have a good understanding of how to protect children from harm. This includes recognising signs and symptoms that would cause concern, and knowing the procedures to follow. They keep their knowledge up to date through regular training. Clear recruitment procedures mean that staff are checked for their suitability to work with children. There is a comprehensive induction programme so that staff are fully informed about their roles and responsibilities in promoting children's safety and welfare. Management reviews and updates policies regularly, and ensures that safety procedures are regularly monitored. For example, staff in each room must know how many children are present at any one time in the day, in order to promote their safety. Management and staff complete detailed risk assessments

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provision

and daily checks so that they provide a safe environment for children to play. Effective staff deployment and good communication means that children are well supervised, in order to keep them safe and support their learning.

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provision

Staff establish effective partnerships with parents. They provide a wealth of information for parents about the setting and children's learning, through displays, newsletters and a detailed parents' handbook. Staff actively seek information from parents about their child's interests and achievements to use in their assessment of children's progress. Parents say that they like the welcoming atmosphere, which has helped their children settle quickly. They feel well informed about their children's progress and praise how well staff prepare children for starting school. Effective partnerships with other early years professionals and outside agencies contribute to all children being fully included and making good progress from their starting points.

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provision

There are clear systems for monitoring staff effectiveness. Regular supervision and appraisals help identify any training needs. Management has a clear overview of the assessment of children's progress, which helps to identify any gaps in children's learning. For example, staff have recently extended resources in the pre-school room to further promote children's understanding of early mathematics. The nursery has successfully addressed the recommendations set at the last inspection, which has improved aspects of children's safety, learning and enjoyment. Self-evaluation includes the views of staff, parents and children, which helps identify clear areas for development and continues to enhance children's learning experiences.

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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 EY300251 Local authority Devon Inspection number 922020

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 64 Name of provider Puffins of Exeter Ltd Date of previous inspection 26/05/2009 Telephone number 01392 496017

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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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