Cambridge Day Nursery

Cambridge Day Nursery 67a Milton Road, CAMBRIDGE, CB4 1XA

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/07/2013 17/02/2010

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 The leadership and management are very effective, resulting in a motivated and enthusiastic staff team who work well together to ensure increasingly good outcomes for all children.  Transitions are managed well, enabling children to confidently look forward to the next stage in their learning. In particular, older children are exceptionally well-prepared for their move into school.  Staff support the children's learning well and use their very good questioning skills to encourage children to extend their thinking and become active, inquisitive learners.  Children who learn best in an outdoor environment are very well-supported through their active outdoor play experiences and the positive free-flow environment.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 There is room to improve older children's language development even further by increasing the precision and consistency of phonic sounds and encouraging emergent writing, for example, through the enhanced use of displays.  Opportunities to strengthen babies' emotional security during settling-in are occasionally overlooked.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector toured the nursery premises, indoors and out.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted meetings with the manager, deputy and provider to discuss management issues, including staff recruitment and training and self-evaluation.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the children during their activities, and their interactions with staff.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with a number of parents to gain their views on the quality of the provision.

p.2

Information about the setting

Cambridge Day Nursery is privately owned by Cambridge Associates in Management Ltd. It opened in 2005 and operates from premises close to Cambridge city centre. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It operates over two floors with a staircase to the first floor pre-school rooms. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

p.3

Information about the setting

There are currently 126 children on roll who are within the early years age range. The nursery supports a number of children who have English as an additional language. Opening times are Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6.30pm for 51 weeks of the year.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery employs 23 members of staff to work directly with the children. Of these, four staff hold childcare qualifications at level 5 of these two hold Early Years Degrees, two staff are qualified at level 4, eight members of staff hold level 3 qualifications and two hold level 2 qualifications. There are seven members of staff currently working towards improving their qualifications and one qualified teacher. The nursery employs a number of support staff, including three office staff, a nursery cook and a maintenance team. The nursery belongs to the National Day Nursery Association and Pre-school Learning Alliance and is currently working towards the Investors in People award.

p.3

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

 enhance the educational programme for communication and language by: extending staff skills so the phonics used with older children are more consistent and precise: encouraging emergent writing, for example, through increased use of displays

p.3

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

 enhance babies' ability to settle well and be emotionally secure, for example, by actively using key words and phrases in their home language.

p.3

who attend

Children learn well in this friendly nursery because staff offer thorough and skilful support. Staff make particularly effective use of questions and conversations to help children develop into inquisitive and active learners. During activities staff intervene wisely, enabling children to think up their own solutions to problems. For example, two- and three-year-old children want to make sandcastles, staff ask them how they will build them, what do they need, and how many will they make? As a result, children are highly independent; they confidently take the initiative during activities and are keen to try out new experiences. Staff efficiently collate their observations and assessments into individual learning journals. These are readily available to parents, who are positively encouraged to contribute to them regularly. Staff involve parents well in the activities, for example, there is a sharing books scheme. The nursery bear accompanies children home each week; his

p.3

who attend

adventures are shared, enabling children to share their differences and similarities.

p.4

who attend

Children have very enjoyable learning experiences in the well-resourced outdoor areas. Babies have their own space, where they safely toddle around. They dig in sand and soil, and have comfortable areas to share stories or sing songs with staff. Older children use their imaginations, for example, they take a ride on a pretend train made from crates. They develop their physical skills as they play with sand and water. Staff promote children's independence effectively by involving them in setting up for the day's activities, such as using the hose to fill troughs and containers with water. Boys are supported particularly well through the forest school experiences and the excellent opportunities for noisy, boisterous play.

p.4

who attend

Outings into the local community prepare children well for the future. Older children visit businesses, including the bank and the dentist, so they gain a wider understanding of the world. Younger children benefit from walks to the river to see the ducks and enjoy exploring the world outside the nursery. Children participate in whole nursery events, such as fund raisers and 'graduation day', where they socialise with larger groups of children and their families. Staff effectively prepare older children for school, for example, they make displays of the different schools and their uniforms. All this helps to develop children's confidence as they move on in their learning.

p.4

who attend

Staff provide solid support for children's communication and language. Older children have regular circle times, where they exchange their ideas and talk about things that are special to them. Children and staff enjoy stimulating conversations, for example, staff with two- and three-year-olds talk about the different ways each says 'hello' in their home language. All the children have enjoyable story times and have ready access to a broad range of interesting books. Staff use the 'Every Child a Talker' programme to develop children's skills in speaking and writing. The use of phonics successfully supports children's knowledge of how words are formed. However, staff skills are occasionally variable, and they do not always use the sounds consistently to ensure children's progress is maximised. A broad range of activities, such as painting, drawing and chalking effectively support children's early writing development. Although, there are many cheerful displays of

p.4

who attend

children's artwork and photographs, there are fewer examples of older children's own attempts at early writing, to encourage them to further extend their skills.

p.4

who attend

Staff ensure that singing and dancing helps children develop their sense of rhythm and time. They thoroughly enjoy singing their own special nursery song and join in with enthusiasm. Weekly sessions with a dance professional encourage all the children to be active and develop their large muscle control while having fun. Babies and toddlers have ample space to move around in, and enjoy seeking out stimulating resources to explore. They handle sensory bottles with interest, and discover what happens when buttons are pushed on pop-up toys. Toy computers, compact disc players and other electronic toys help all children develop an early interest in modern technology. Staff ensure that practical activities, such as cooking, or making play dough, provide children with enjoyable ways to learn about mathematics as they weigh, measure and compare.

p.4

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

Children's independence is promoted well by the free-flow play environment. The outdoor area is accessible for most of the day and children clearly enjoy the opportunity to make their own decisions about where to play. The nursery has recently acquired a new garden, which incorporates a wilder, wooded area. Here children excitedly explore the undergrowth, looking for insects, or move crates under the willow tree so they can play quietly together. Staff support the children expertly, for example, discussing with older children whether a particular tree is safe to climb. Children develop their design skills as they create obstacle courses from crates and planks of wood. They demonstrate their confidence as they test out their construction to ensure it takes their weight safely. Staff provide children with sensible safety advice and effectively enable them to consider the risks themselves. All of this prepares children very well for their future learning. Children's

p.5

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

good behaviour is promoted well by clear rules and boundaries. Staff help children explore their feelings, and enable children to solve any minor disputes by themselves. As a result, children show a good understanding of the expectations of kind and sharing behaviours.

p.5

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

Children benefit from healthy meals and snacks. The nursery cook understands about childhood nutrition and ensures food meets the needs of children with special dietary requirements. A thriving kitchen garden means children have a good understanding of the links between healthy eating and fresh fruit and vegetables. Staff skilfully extend their knowledge, for instance, they show children the unripe apples on the tree and explain they will be ready in the autumn. Younger children rest and sleep according to their individual needs, and all children benefit from a balanced range of active and more restful activities. All of this successfully promotes children's health and well-being.

p.5

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

A strong and well-established key person system helps to ensure children develop secure emotional bonds with their special person. Each key person has a buddy, who works alongside to develop equally strong links with the children. Parents commented that their children's transitions between rooms were very positive due to the steps taken by staff to involve them. Initial settling-in is flexible and dependent on children's individual needs. Staff work closely with parents to find out about children's routines and care needs so their individual needs are met well. Ultimately, all children settle happily. However, staff very occasionally overlook additional strategies to fully support younger babies who find settling-in particularly difficult, such as actively using words and phrases from their home languages.

p.5

provision

The manager and her team are motivated to drive improvement and continually look for ways to enhance the quality of the provision. Self-evaluation is thorough and takes into account the views of staff and children. Parents are regularly asked for their feedback and they say the provider is responsive to their ideas and suggestions. All of the recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed and the nursery has moved on to further enhance children's learning experiences. The latest addition of a wooded area, where Forest School sessions will be fully implemented, shows the staff's commitment to continuous improvement. The manager and senior staff team successfully monitor the educational programme to ensure children's learning needs are effectively met. For example, communication and language trackers help to identify children at risk of delay, such as those who have English as an additional language. Managers regularly

p.6

provision

check the quality of observations and assessments to ensure there is consistency and a clear understanding of children's stage of development. This helps all children to make good progress towards the early learning goals.

p.6

provision

The manager and her senior team offer all staff regular supervision meetings, where they share their ideas and discuss any possible areas of concern. There are regular team meetings and staff are actively encouraged to attend as much training as possible. All of this helps staff to improve their practice and increase their confidence. In return the nursery benefits from an enthusiastic and motivated staff team who strive to deliver good quality provision. Staff recruitment is robust to ensure any adults working in the nursery are safe and suitable. A rigorous induction programme gives staff a secure knowledge of their roles and responsibilities, which helps to keep children safe. All staff attend child protection training and demonstrate a clear understanding of the reporting procedures that safeguard children. The premises are kept secure, with all visitors having their identity checked before being admitted. Staff conduct rigorous checks on the premises

p.6

provision

and equipment, indoors and out to ensure children play safely. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed to ensure any issues are attended to. All this helps to keep children safe.

p.6

provision

Parents demonstrated their enthusiasm for staff and the range of activities their children enjoy. Parents of older children particularly liked the children's trips to local shops and businesses, such as the bank and the dentist's surgery. Most parents commented favourably on the quality of the key adults working with their children, saying they were 'special people'. The nursery provides parents with detailed information, including the well- written policies and procedures. Staff and parents clearly have friendly and trusting relationships, with several parents spending time in the nursery talking to staff when they drop off or collect. The partnerships with other providers, especially schools, are a key strength of the setting. Staff work well with others to ensure children have safe and confident transitions. They invite reception teachers to visit and talk to the older children about their future experiences. Learning journals and summaries of children's

p.6

provision

achievements are shared so new teachers are prepared for the new term. All this effectively promotes continuity of care and learning. Some staff have specialist skills, such as sign language, to offer suitable support when necessary. There are well-established links with other agencies, such as specialist teachers and the local authority.

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.7

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY308230 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 915162

p.9

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 62 Number of children on roll 126 Name of provider Cambridge Associates In Management Limited Date of previous inspection 17/02/2010 Telephone number 01223 566323

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

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,

p.10

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.11

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11