Sleaford Day Nursery Ltd

Sleaford Day Nursery The Drove, SLEAFORD, Lincolnshire, NG34 7AP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/07/2013 18/04/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children thrive and make rapid progress in all areas of their learning and development because all staff are extremely knowledgeable practitioners.  Children have a great enthusiasm for learning because staff plan purposeful activities that extend children's learning thorough first-hand experiences.  All staff interact extremely well with children and transitions within the nursery are excellent. As a result, children rapidly form strong bonds with their key person and other staff.  The cohesive and visionary management team consistently drive improvements that are extremely well targeted and greatly benefit children.

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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 had a tour of the premises and met with staff and children.  The inspector observed children in all rooms and outdoors.  The inspector and early years manager completed a joint observation of children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journals, care sheets, planning, a range of policies and procedures and spoke with parents.

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Information about the setting

Sleaford Day Nursery, which includes a kids club, opened in 1997 and in 2002 relocated to the current purpose-built premises situated in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register and is privately owned and managed. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It comprises of four main playrooms with toilet facilities, an office, a kitchen, a staff/laundry room, a disabled toilet and an entrance hall. There is a large enclosed outdoor play space which is divided into three areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 29 members of childcare staff. Of these, 24 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and 4. Two staff have completed foundation degrees at level 5 and three staff have completed degrees at level 6.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens each weekday from 7.30am to 5.45pm all year round, except for bank holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 237 children on roll of whom 196 are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery is affiliated to the National Day Nurseries Association. It is the designated nursery for the local children's centre.

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

 continue to develop the outdoor role play area to further enrich the already excellent experiences for children.

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who attend

All children make rapid progress in their learning and development because staff have excellent knowledge of how young children learn at different rates and through different interests. The observations that staff make of children, focus extremely well on each child's achievements and their preferred learning styles. Staff use this information purposefully to assess each child's next steps in learning and to plan exciting activities that best help them to progress in all areas of learning. They track children's progress very well and skilfully bring all areas of learning into all types of play, planned or spontaneous, to ensure that children's learning is consolidated. By doing so children are able to use their learning in different contexts and develop high levels of confidence with their communication, understanding and independence. This is an extremely well-resourced nursery both indoors and outdoors. Children have excellent opportunities to develop their

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who attend

understanding of mathematics, reading, writing and technology. They have an outdoor classroom, a beach, growing areas, tunnels and grass, and a construction area for robust and imaginary play with tyres, dens, nets and crates. Children use their imaginations very well in play and are physically very capable.

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who attend

Staff in every room have very clear learning intentions for children and plan activities extremely well to enthuse and motivate children. They fully understand the different stages of development and how to bring learning to life for children so that they have first-hand experiences that they remember and can apply in the future. An example of this is an ongoing activity that is taking place in the 'Tweenies' room with the young toddlers. The children have recently been clearing the gardening bed to re-plant this with vegetables, which once grown, they harvest and use in their meals. Due to the young age of the children the staff feel it is very important that the children see where and how vegetables grow before they move on to the planting stage. On the day of the inspection, the toddlers were all taken to the local allotments where they met with people who were busy working there. The children listened to an experienced gardener who told them all

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who attend

about the vegetables and showed them where they grow. The children were shown the vegetables in the boot of his car that he had harvested. They were told what they were called, for example, shallots; therefore, extending their vocabulary. The staff let the children walk between the rows of vegetables and investigate these for themselves. They were given lots of vegetables to bring back to the nursery to explore and use in their play. The children showed great curiosity in this activity, including during the walk to the allotments. They met with many members of the public on the way who know the children and staff well. They saw dogs, diggers and planes. Each and every thing that the children showed an interest in was immediately picked up on by staff who stopped to let the children watch or respond and then talked to them about what they had seen.

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who attend

In the baby room, many babies are at a similar physical stage where they are starting to pull themselves up or trying to walk unaided. The room is very well resourced to promote this stage of development and staff have reorganised the room to ensure that babies are able to experiment with their physical skills in safety. One baby, who is a little older, enjoys climbing and for this reason the staff have set out a low climbing frame to help this child progress. The staff have all completed specialised training around the needs of babies and meet these extremely well through excellent interaction. An example of this is at one point in the morning all staff and babies were on the floor playing with large bowls of water for sensory, filling and pouring experiences. All babies are provided with a bowl and different water toys to ensure that they are all fully included. The staff join in with them showing them how to do things and responding to the babies actions and sounds of

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who attend

pleasure. The older toddlers, pre-school children and children in the holiday club all have a very strong voice in the nursery. Staff include them in planning and take their views very seriously. They ensure that children have lots of free play so they are able to express themselves. By doing so, staff are able to talk to children about what they would like to do next and organise their learning objectives through the children's ideas. This ensures that there is an excellent balance of child-led and adult-led learning taking place. It also ensures that children are highly articulate, develop excellent listening and understanding skills as well as cooperative skills as they learn to work together. This inspection took place during the holidays and, because of this, the older toddlers and the pre-school children use the same room. This works very well as the older children help and encourage the younger children and the younger children develop a desire to want to try

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who attend

new things and challenge themselves. For example, an older child who was making a very precise pattern with pegs on a peg board suggests to a younger child, who was doing likewise but with a more random pattern, to try to line the pegs up in lines of colours. The child watches and copies and is able to organise the colours accurately into a sequence. Children learn very well from each other in this mixed group and are being extremely well prepared for their transition into this room in September. A simple game, such as a circle game, shows how well staff help children to settle and get to know each other through fun. Children all sit in a circle on the floor and a member of staff calls out two names and these children have to swap places. This game helps children learn each other's names and develop friendships, and also helps to further develop their listening, attention and understanding.

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who attend

The nursery has highly trained staff who are responsible for ensuring that the needs of children with special educational needs or those for whom English is a second language are supported. This is achieved to an excellent standard because each child has an individual learning folder, which all staff in the nursery are fully involved with. This includes any individual learning plan that is in place with external agencies and ensures that any member of staff who works with a child is fully equipped with the necessary information to help every child progress. Staff also complete summative progress checks for all children aged two years and this enables them to identify any gaps in a child's learning at an early stage. Parents are involved in completing these checks in the same was as they contribute to their child's observations and assessment folders. This ensures that parents have a very clear understanding of the progress their child is making or

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who attend

where additional support may be needed. All children in this nursery progress extremely well from their starting points and leave the nursery armed with the skills and confidence they need to start school.

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

Staff interact extremely well with children and parents as they arrive each day, which enables children and parents to separate with confidence. Children settle rapidly and form strong bonds with their key person and all staff. Relationships are exceptionally warm and caring and children and their families are treated with immense kindness and respect. All children, including babies, show confidence and a strong sense of belonging to their environment as they play independently and make their own choices. This is because staff fully understand the importance of the prime areas of learning for such young children and successfully focus on these at all times. Babies know that staff are always close and are confident to explore their environment independently and then go to staff for reassurance and cuddles as required. Great care is taken to gather comprehensive details about children's care needs at the start of the placement. For example, information is exchanged

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

to ensure that specific dietary needs and preferences are catered for and that any medical needs are known and accurately met. Staff follow children's sleep, meal and nappy routines as provided by parents and they keep parents well-informed through daily care sheets of any changes that occur. This effectively promotes continuity in the care children receive between home and the nursery. Updates about all children's routines are also placed in each child's folder for nursery staff. This ensures that all staff know about children's routines and personal needs and meet them well at all times. New children settle extremely well because all families receive a home visit from key staff. This ensures that the parents and children get to know them well in a familiar environment first and that staff can understand the child's full range of experiences. Parents are then welcome to stay at the nursery with their child until they feel ready to leave them. During these

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

occasions, staff and parents discuss the information that parents have provided. Staff link this to the initial observations they make of children to use as their starting point. When it is time for a child to move from one room to another, every child has another home visit from their existing and new key person in the same way as when they first start. They also have settling-in visits in their new room, for example, during the summer holidays so that they get to make friends with new children and staff. This helps children to feel safe and well-cared for, which prepares them exceptionally well emotionally for their future transitions.

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

Staff organise and utilise the indoor and outdoor environment extremely well to support children's development and to enable them to learn to take risks safely. They provide an extensive range of resources that are developmentally appropriate and provide children with enjoyment and challenge. Since the last inspection, management staff have undertaken a detailed research project on physical development. They have put a comprehensive training package together to ensure that children's physical development is promoted to the highest possible level. Staff provide children with vigilant, yet sensitive supervision, which contributes to children's safety without imposition. Staff have first aid qualifications and are well equipped with the skills to deal with minor accidents and injuries should any happen. Clear boundaries and expectations encourage children to develop the habits and behaviours appropriate to good learners, their own needs and

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

those of others. Children are actively encouraged to develop respect and to be kind to each other, to share resources and to take turns. Staff praise the children which promotes their confidence and self-esteem. As a result, children's behaviour is exemplary. Children are supported very well with developing their understanding of safely issues. For example, when walking to the allotment they learn about road safety and when using apparatus they learn to use this safely and to be aware of what other children are doing around them. Children learn to take responsibility and behave well.

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

Children are provided with extremely healthy, balanced and nutritious snacks and hot meals that are prepared on the premises each day. Management completed some extensive research about nutrition in the early years. As a result of this research the nursery were delighted to be invited to join a bigger research project through which expert nutritionists visited the nursery to assess the balance, nutrition and quantities of food children receive. The nursery team and nutritionists worked together and introduced a new menu, which has had extremely positive outcomes for children. They now eat lots of sardines, mackerel and fish, for example. Parents comment on how much their children now enjoy foods that they would never have thought they would. This has also impacted well on the foods children eat at home as many parents say they have now extended their food choices for children. A team of staff has been set up to continuously monitor the

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

menus and children's responses to ensure that the positive effects continue. All children enjoy having lots of exercise, which contributes extremely well towards their continuing good health and well-being. Children's independence and self-care skills are promoted continuously as part of the daily routines. For example, they put on their coats and hats for outdoor play, wash and dry their hands after using the toilet, help prepare snacks and independently pour their drinks.

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provision

Children are fully safeguarded because highly effective procedures exist to protect them from harm and neglect. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure the initial and ongoing suitability of each member of staff is rigorously checked. All staff have excellent knowledge about child protection and the welfare requirements and have all completed full training. Safeguarding is updated regularly as a mandatory element of the professional development package. The nursery has a designated safeguarding manager who ensures that all staff are kept up-to-date with safeguarding issues and that all staff prioritise children's safety and well-being at all times. Staff are vigilant about risk assessments, ensuring that children play safely indoors and outdoors and when they go on outings and trips. Detailed information about each child is obtained and accurately recorded and all of the necessary consents are in place. This ensures that children receive safe and

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provision

individualised care. Comprehensive written policies, covering all aspects of the provision work exceptionally well in practice to ensure the safe and efficient management of the setting.

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provision

Leadership and management of this nursery is excellent. The management team are extremely committed and visionary. They greatly value their staff and have successfully formed a very strong, cohesive team who all share their vision. Staff turnover is very low as a result and this significantly benefits the children and the sense of security and stability they have. The whole team work together extremely well and have many, highly effective methods for monitoring the quality of the service, learning and care they provide. Early years and quality assurance managers fully monitor the consistency of observations, assessment and planning to ensure that all children receive purposeful learning that is tailored to their individual needs. The managers also observe staff in practice to assess the quality of their delivery and interaction. Feedback is provided through regularly staff supervision and appraisals. Self-evaluation systems are used highly effectively to identify

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provision

successful practice and key areas for improvement. All staff, children and parents are involved in this process. Since the last inspection, many significant improvements have been made that continue to drive forward the extremely high standards that have already been achieved. Further to those improvements already mentioned, many relevant training courses have been completed by staff, for example, staff in the 'Tweenies' room have completed a course about two-year-olds, which builds on the training that staff previously received in the baby room about babies. Many staff have completed several language and communication courses, including one that focuses on speech and language delay and another on sign language. In addition to these courses, managers have compiled several in-house training packages for staff. The appraisal system has been given a complete overhaul and the nursery now uses a 360 degree approach where all staff also appraise

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provision

each manager. This enables all strengths and weakness to be subject to full scrutiny to raise further improvements that benefit everyone. It develops strong trust between the staff team and mutual respect. The extremely stimulating outdoor area has continued to be developed through suggestions and help from the parents. Staff set up a staff and parent working group and implemented the suggestions that parents had made by laying artificial turf and building a permanent tunnel for children in the side of a small hill. The nursery has ideas for more improvements to the outdoor role play area by building a mud oven for children. They have strengthened partnerships with other providers as was recommended at the last inspection and have been highly successful with this. As a result, the provider has further developed the excellent links with local schools, promoting consistency in supporting children's language and literacy development. Key staff attend

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provision

settling-in visits at the school with new children and transition meetings with staff.

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provision

Relationships with parents and carers are exceptionally strong and supportive, helping them to feel fully involved in all aspects of their child's care and education. Children with diverse needs receive excellent levels of support at an early stage, because the setting works in very close partnership with other childcare and health professionals. Parents spoken to, highly commend the nursery and recommend it to others. They particularly value how quickly their children settle and the good progress they make. Parents find staff extremely approachable and welcoming and feel that they are kept well-informed about their child's care and learning and are fully included.

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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 EY102277 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 915553

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 84 Number of children on roll 237 Name of provider Sleaford Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 18/04/2011 Telephone number 01529414464

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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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