Country Kids Day Nursery

Country Kids Day Nursery House on Hill, Offoxey Road, Bishops Wood, Staffs, ST19 9AP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/08/2013 27/01/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children enjoy the fantastic outside area which is effectively set out to encourage exploration and play. They are engaged and interested in the wide variety of activities on offer, both indoors and out.  All staff have a strong understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how children learn. They are skilled at providing activities that are suited to children's individual levels of attainment, providing a good level of challenge to help them make rapid progress.  Children's individuality is valued. Staff take time to get to know them and respond to their individual needs sensitively, considering their likes and dislikes and ensuring any special requirements are fully met.  Children's safety is highly prioritised and they are constantly supervised. They enjoy a secure environment where hazards are successfully minimised through thorough risk assessments and ongoing checks.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The toddler room layout is not always conducive to learning. Collection times disrupt group activities and distract children from their play.  Parents are not regularly asked to contribute to their child's assessments. As a result, children' next steps in learning are not always discussed and shared to promote and support swift progress.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the children, staff and parents and held discussions with the management team.  The inspector observed free play, focused activities, outside play and mealtimes.  The inspector went into the individual rooms of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined children's learning journey records and the planning and assessment procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with the children, the provider's written policies and procedures and self-evaluation documents.

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Information about the setting

Country Kids Nursery was registered in 2003 and is on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the rural area of Bishops Wood, on the Staffordshire and Shropshire border and is managed by a private provider. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas and is accessible to all children. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs six members of childcare staff, of these; five hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 2, including one member of staff who is qualified at level 4. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 42 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 reduce the number of interruptions in the toddler room so that children maximise their enjoyment and are able to concentrate on their learning and play

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

 strengthen links with parents so that children's learning goals and achievements are more regularly discussed and there is a shared approach to further supporting their good progress.

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who attend

Children are full of energy and excitement in this vibrant setting. They show that they feel safe and secure as they freely move around indoor and outdoor spaces, accessing activities that stimulate and interest them. The homely atmosphere means that even new starters quickly relax and join in with play. Staff are calm and reassuring, speaking to children in soft tones and making sure that their every need is promptly met. They help them interact positively with each other, dealing with small squabbles quickly and calmly. They come alongside them during play to extend and promote their learning. Consequently, all children have fun, relax and enjoy their time in the setting. They chat to staff confidently, asking for chalks to draw on the paving slabs outside or involving them in their imaginative play as they pretend to camp in the tents on the lawn. Staff are skilled at developing children's skills as they play, encouraging them to show what they know.

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who attend

For example, they encourage children to use the chalks to add numbers to a hopscotch grid. Children accurately add the numerals into the boxes and smile with pride as they are praised for their efforts. With younger children and babies, staff make sure that resources are appropriate to their age and stage of development. They help them develop their physical skills as they climb on and off rockers, pull themselves up on the soft furnishings and move around the room with strollers that promote their balance. Activities, such as jelly play, provide them with the opportunity to develop their senses as they enjoy the texture, taste and smell of the substance. Babies are held for bottle feeds and all children receive plenty of affection as they seek out staff for cuddles or sit with staff during story times.

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who attend

Themes reflect children's interests, as staff effectively plan activities based on what children enjoy. For example, after children show a great interest in the snails they find outside, staff plan mini-beast activities, encouraging children to paint pictures of the snails, read books about insects and make habitats for the creatures they find. A visit from the 'animal man' completes their learning and children thoroughly enjoy touching snakes, spiders and guinea pigs as part of this visit. Children develop a good understanding of the natural world and how to care for animals as well as developing their creative skills during craft activities. Communication and literacy skills also flourish as they listen to stories and ask questions about the animals they find. Staff also provide daily opportunities for children to come together, sing songs and share items from home during circle time. Toddlers particularly enjoy taking part in action songs as they sing 'If you're happy and

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who attend

you know it', enthusiastically clapping their hands and stamping their feet. However, the layout of the setting means that such activities are sometimes interrupted as parents come to collect children from the pre-school. This means that toddlers are distracted at times which disrupts their play and learning.

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who attend

Staff are effective teachers. They know when to intervene and when to allow children to develop their own play. Time is taken to provide one to one support or to ask pertinent questions to develop children's critical thinking and understanding. Individual learning styles are considered. For instance, staff know that some children need to be shown how to explore activities while others will happily investigate without prompting. Using a cup of sand to make a wheel spin in the sand tray, staff encourage children to stay and play rather than just touch the sand and move on to another activity. As they recognise the consequence of pouring, trickling and sieving sand onto the wheel, they become involved in play. They are able to learn about volume and how things change as they add water to the sand and see what effect this has. Consequently, they enjoy a richer learning experience as a result of staff intervention. At other times, staff step back and encourage

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who attend

children to develop their own games. Great fun is had, as children whizz about on scooters, deciding to use the ramps outside and the track around the lawn as a road. Children work out how to get their scooters back up the slope and develop good co- ordination as they challenge themselves to balance with both feet off the ground. As a result, they learn their own limits and understand how to play safely as they work out how to stop themselves falling. The wide range of well thought out and stimulating activities engages all ages and successfully develops their communication skills, promotes their critical thinking and encourages them to become confident learners. Children learn to share, listen to others and wait their turn with popular equipment as they play together or listen to each other at circle time. This helps them develop key skills for future learning, such as concentration and turn-taking, as well as helping them to be

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who attend

confident in other group settings, such as the classroom. All children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. This also helps to prepare them well for their future learning and the move onto school. Staff skilfully support them, knowing the children's individual abilities well, which helps to ensure that activities are appropriate and stimulating for them. More able children are successfully challenged as staff also consider ways to further develop their skills so that they do not become bored or disinterested. They are given additional tasks that they enjoy, such as taking on responsibility for providing drinks to their peers at mealtimes. This helps them to build on their growing independence and encourages a real sense of belonging at the setting.

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who attend

All children's achievements are recorded and the key person for each child regularly monitors their development to ensure that they are continually making good progress. Staff successfully identify ways to help children move forward and uses this to inform the planning of future activities. This ensures that planned events are of interest and are challenging to children to promote development. Staff consult with parents at the start of a placement to determine children's starting points and review children's progress every term to ensure that all areas of learning are being effectively covered. A newsletter is provided to parents along with ideas to try at home, such as providing a recipe for parents to make their own play dough. However, the setting does not regularly invite parents to contribute to the assessment process. Consequently, the lack of regular input from parents into the assessment means that some learning goals are not discussed and

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who attend

children's achievements at home are not included in the staff's assessment. As such, there is scope to further promote a shared approach to helping children develop even further.

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

Children display positive relationships with the staff and each other. They are helped to settle in as they are provided with settling in sessions where parents slowly build up the time they leave their children. This helps them to get used to the new surroundings with a familiar adult close by. Consequently, by the time they are left with staff they are confident and relaxed, knowing where their favourite resources are and feeling able to seek out staff for support. Information is also collated on the registration forms to ensure that staff are aware of children's likes and dislikes, any special requirements and key information prior to them starting. Children are also well supported as they move rooms or prepare to leave for school. They have opportunities to spend time in the next room they will attend and this is gradually built up until they are confident in their new surroundings. Staff also help them to prepare for school by discussing their move, new uniform and the

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

school they will attend with them. As a result, children are excited about the prospect of moving on. Dietary or medical needs are fully discussed to ensure that all activities are safe and suitable for each child. Where special requirements are identified staff work in partnership with other professionals and parents to ensure that a consistent approach is taken. For instance, staff work with special educational needs co-ordinators to assess children's behaviours and abilities. This helps to ensure that appropriate support is offered. As a result, all children, including those with additional requirements, make swift progress.

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

Children are kept safe. All exterior doors are kept secure and specialised safety equipment, such as, safety gates are used to prevent children from accidental harm. Children know that they must not enter the kitchen and understand why rules are in place. They know they must not climb on the furniture because they could fall and that it is important to clear up spillages so they do not slip. They also know how to respond swiftly during a fire drill as these are regularly practised and discussed. Children receive encouragement and praise from the staff throughout the day which effectively builds self- esteem and promotes good behaviour. Children know it is kind to share and that they must not hurt each other. Small squabbles are promptly dealt with to prevent them escalating. For example, staff quickly intervene when children fight over a toy and remind them to take turns. This helps to contribute to the harmonious atmosphere which runs

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

through the whole setting. Older children show that they have a strong sense of belonging at the setting as they help to tidy up and set up the tables for mealtime. Their self-care skills are particularly good as they wash their hands before meals without being prompted and being so comfortable and familiar with the setting's routines.

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

Children's good health is well promoted. Active play is effectively encouraged both indoor and out, with free access to the outdoor area and regular yoga and soccer sessions. Children learn control of their bodies as they stretch and move to music during yoga, and enjoy the opportunity to rest and relax at the end of the session. They have fun taking part in more boisterous activities during 'soccertots' where they develop their skills with footballs and other equipment. An annual sports day provides children with another fun opportunity to be active. Parents and children take part in races out on the large lawn. Children are also provided with a wide range of home cooked meals. All food is freshly prepared on the premises. Ham, vegetables and parsley sauce are enthusiastically tucked into, with vegetarian options available if required.

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provision

The management team are fully committed to providing quality care for children. They are enthusiastic about driving the setting forward and are keen to try out new ideas and techniques. They work positively with the local authority, taking on advice and keeping up- to-date with new legislation and best practice. All required policies and procedures are in place, such as maintaining a daily register. The recommendations from the last inspection have been met, with a new assessment system now in place for younger children. This helps staff to identify progress in key areas such as physical development, and take action promptly if children need additional support. Self-evaluation is used effectively to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the setting and to set future goals to promote continuous development.

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provision

Staff are well qualified. They are skilled at working with children and attend regular training, such as first aid courses, to ensure their knowledge remains up-to-date. Interaction with children is regularly observed and constructive feedback is given as staff observe each other to develop their practice. This excellent approach enables staff to reflect on how effective they are in delivering activities and helps to ensure that they are all continually developing their own skills for the benefit of children. The educational programme is also well monitored. Managers and room leaders use effective tracking documents to ensure that children are covering all the areas of learning and that all children are making good progress. Where gaps are identified, staff are quick to respond by providing focussed activities to help children develop their skills.

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provision

Safeguarding procedures are fully understood and the setting has comprehensive written policies in place to underpin good practice. The safety and well-being of children is effectively prioritised at all times, with all staff clear about the signs and symptoms that may indicate abuse. Staff are also extremely vigilant, making sure that children are safe as they play. Hazards are promptly minimised to prevent accidental injury. For example, as a drink is knocked over, staff immediately respond and wipe up the spillage so that the floor is not slippery. Full risk assessments are in place for all indoor and outdoor areas and staff also undertake daily checks to ensure that toys and equipment remain fit for use. Where damaged equipment is found, staff remove it or make it inaccessible to children. Staff are also well deployed to ensure that children benefit from high levels of supervision at all times. They communicate with each other well, making sure that if they need to leave the

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provision

room, another staff member is able to provide supervision. Consequently, staff are always aware of children's activities and quickly respond if they need assistance. Any visitors to the setting are required to sign in and are never left alone with children. Mobile telephones are not allowed in the setting to ensure that no images are recorded by anyone who has not been fully vetted. Children show that they feel safe in the setting. They know what resources are available and confidently move around to access the toys and resources they want. This encourages their independence and gives them a good sense of freedom. The resources take account of the needs of children who attend and promote an understanding of diversity, with toys and stories displaying a wide range of different backgrounds and abilities. The setting welcomes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and effectively works in partnership with parents and other

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provision

professionals to ensure that any specific needs are promptly identified and addressed. This helps all children to reach their full potential.

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provision

Staff build positive relationships with parents and chat to them on a daily basis about their child's achievements and well-being. Any incidents or accidents are fully recorded and shared with parents so that appropriate care is followed up after children leave the setting. Notice boards in the hallway provide parents with additional information about childcare issues and give suggestions for activities to do at home which complement the activities covered at the setting. This helps parents to support and develop their children's learning at home. Key policies and procedures are shared with parents, ensuring that they are aware of the standards to which the setting operates and providing details of how to make a complaint if they need to. Parents report that their children are extremely happy at the setting and cannot wait to arrive. They love the 'home from home' feel and particularly praise the staff for their 'warm and caring' approach.

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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 EY251062 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 915292

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider Jane Angela Frisby Date of previous inspection 27/01/2012 Telephone number 01785 840372

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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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