Umbrella Nursery

Umbrella Nursery Thistley Hill, Melbourne Avenue, Dover, CT16 2JH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/07/2013 24/08/2012

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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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children play in a bright, colourful and welcoming environment where the resources are easily accessible.  The key person system is well established, resulting in confident and independent children.  Children learn the importance of a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet and daily outdoor play.

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It is not yet good because

 A lack of evaluation of children's learning through observations, results in a weakness in the planning to provide challenging opportunities to cover the seven areas of learning with equal consideration.  Mark making and areas for creative development are not inviting and therefore not used effectively by the children.  Snack time and meal times are not always used as a learning opportunity to develop children's social skills and communication and language.

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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 compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The majority of the inspection was spent observing children and staff in the main room and baby room.

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Inspection activities

 Documentation was reviewed and sampled, including the procedure for complaints and safeguarding.  Discussion was held with parents on the day of inspection to obtain their views.  A joint observation was carried out with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Umbrella Nursery is owned by Alpha Nurseries Ltd. It operates from purpose built premises in Dover, Kent. All children have access to a secure outdoor play area. The setting is open five days a week from 8am to 6pm for 52 weeks of the year, closing on bank holidays.

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Information about the setting

The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are 65 children currently on roll in the early years age group. The nursery receives early education funding for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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Information about the setting

There are 11 qualified members of staff working directly with the children. This includes the manager who holds a level four qualification. Two members of staff are currently training to achieve a recognised early years qualification.

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must:

 use information from observations to evaluate children's learning and plan challenging and enjoyable experiences across the seven areas of learning.

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

 improve mark-making and creative opportunities and resources, to encourage children's interaction and participation

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

 further develop snack and meal times as additional times for social learning and development of communication and language skills.

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who attend

The majority of staff are enthusiastic and motivated. They provide a variety of activities for children and have a secure knowledge of the learning and development requirements. However, although they carry out regular observations of children's learning they do not effectively evaluate the learning that has taken place. As a result, next steps are not sufficiently challenging, or cover all areas of learning. Consequently, a weakness arises in the planning and on occasions children lack concentration or become boisterous. The progress check for two-year-olds involves using a summary assessment and obtaining parental feedback. This is shared with the parents to give to the health care professional to support the child's development. Parents are involved in their child's learning through verbally sharing information, to written comments in children's daily contact books. All parents are invited to contribute to their child's learning journey through photographs,

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who attend

observations or pictures they have achieved at home.

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who attend

Children have daily, opportunities to benefit from fresh air as they use the larger play equipment outdoors. Children demonstrate good spatial awareness and staff offer road ways, traffic signs and a mud kitchen to extend children's outdoor learning. Staff encourages children to use the different apparatus to develop all large physical skills, such as balancing and throwing and catching. Younger children are given furniture and toys to support their mobility. Children demonstrate good fine physical skills as they join jigsaws, hold their pencils in a tripod grip and operate the mouse on the computer. Children operate different programmes, learning to move objects around or to support their number and letter recognition skills. Staff provide children with an effective range of resources to support number recognition and shapes through pictures, books and practical activities. The youngest children have access to treasure baskets where they can explore

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who attend

and examine various natural resources to support their senses.

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who attend

Children show a developing knowledge of letters and sounds and are beginning to link the initial letter sound to their name. Some children are beginning to form letters of their name with support from the staff in preparation for school. However, mark-making resources and tools are not well presented, with pencils needing sharpening and a mixture of tools in drawers. Consequently, the mark-making area is not used effectively or regularly. Children show good listening skills as they listen to the story, with children selecting favourites from the shelf. Children enjoy talking about the story and can provide good recall on the events of the story. Staff understand children's communication and language needs are important. However, daily routines are often not used effectively to fully extend children's vocabulary or communication skills in both rooms of the nursery.

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who attend

Staff provide suitable resources and opportunities for children to develop their imagination. The role play area changes to meet children's interests or to extend children's understanding of a particular topic, such as a Chinese restaurant when learning about the Chinese New Year. Children further develop their creative skills through musical instruments and some art and craft activities. However, these are not easily accessible or promoted effectively to encourage children to develop their creative skills using a variety of mediums.

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

The key person system is well established within the setting. Children are confident and settled demonstrating a feeling of security. Key people make good relationships with the children and their parents, providing good continuity of care and meeting children's individual needs. Children are independent and make choices of activities, select their cup when they need a drink or choose where to play. Children show good skills at snack time, pouring their drinks, choosing their snack and clearing away their cup and bowl, showing good awareness of routines. Children generally behave well, needing only minor support to help with disputes, showing a developing understanding of social skills and turn taking.

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

Staff provide good opportunities for children to learn the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. They encourage children to follow effective hygiene routines such as washing hands before eating and act as role models for good practice. This is enhanced by effective nappy changing routines to protect children against cross infection. Access to drinking water at all times in both rooms enables children to have a drink when they require one. Staff promote large physical play in both rooms to support the healthy lifestyle for all children. Children are able to take controlled risks, and are offered gentle reminders about keeping themselves safe. For example, children are reminded about not running indoors or to climb on the small sofas in case they tip. Staff carry out a daily checklist of the premises and consequently children play in a safe, secure environment.

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

Staff provide a good range of resources for the children stored in low-level shelving and trays to promote children's independence. The resources and toys are generally in good condition and suitable for the age of the children attending. The baby room has its own resources, but when necessary they borrow toys from the main room to meet the needs of the more able, mobile children.

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

Staff show a consistent awareness of children's developing needs as they move them through the nursery and finally to preparation for school. Children are encouraged to change their own shoes, put on their coats and visit the toilet. Groups to promote listening and attention are implemented to support children moving onto school, in addition to supporting their literacy skills. Discussion with children about what to expect and visits from their prospective teachers, enhances children's preparation in conjunction with the parents for their move to school.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward following two separate notifications from the provider; one regarding child protection, and the second about behaviour management and safeguarding issues. Ofsted initially visited the setting and issued notices to improve safeguarding knowledge and procedures, improve staff induction and have a named deputy. The provider took prompt action to meet the requirements. At a second visit, Ofsted issued another two notices to improve, concerning staff supervision and the recording of internal investigations. The provider has acted in a responsible and secure manner. All staff have attended behaviour management training and all have been re- issued with the behaviour management policy. Effective supervision arrangements are now implemented and discussions with staff are now recorded. All staff have received safeguarding training and are able to detail the procedure they must follow if they have

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provision

any concerns within the setting. The manager has attended the designated person training and she has recently amended her policy and procedure in line with local authority guidelines.

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provision

The manager and deputy work with the whole team of staff to monitor the effectiveness of the setting. Regular staff meetings and the sharing of relevant documentation support the process of self-evaluation. In addition, parents' views are obtained through questionnaires and children's views through discussion. Staff compile all the information to provide a satisfactory self-evaluation. However, processes to monitor the planning and children's files are not yet fully embedded to identify the weaknesses in some areas of learning and in providing sufficient challenge for some children. Overall, children receive a satisfactory range of activities and opportunities. For those children needing additional support, staff work with outside professionals and the parents to provide individual educational plans to support children's learning. These are reviewed regularly to ensure children make sufficient progress.

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provision

Staff receive regular supervisions throughout the year to promote their continuous professional development. This is in addition to annual appraisals, providing staff with further training opportunities or goals to work towards to support their continuing knowledge and experience. Both in-house and external training is offered appropriate to their individual needs. The manager is currently developing a more rigorous recording system to ensure a secure recording process in implemented.

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provision

The setting work particularly well with outside professionals to support individual children. The manager has established good links with the local children centre, local schools and speech and language therapists. These good partnerships build good relationships with the parents to provide secure practice and support for individual children.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY443819 Local authority Kent Inspection number 924166 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 7 Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 65 Name of provider Alpha Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 24/08/2012 Telephone number 01304203040

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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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