Barnabas House Private NurseryOfsted inspection, 7 Aug 2013

Barnabas House Day Nursery Watery Lane, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2ET

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/08/2013 19/04/2011

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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 are well prepared, physically, socially and emotionally for their next phase of learning at nursery or school.  Children gain a very good knowledge of the world they live in as they learn through first-hand experience and observation.  Children gain a good understanding of the importance of a healthy active lifestyle.  The manager, owner and staff are reflective in their practice, which means that they have a strong capacity for improvement.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There are occasions when levels of staff involvement and interaction are not as good as the majority of practice.  Occasionally, children need more detailed explanations of why they must be careful, so they fully understand safety messages.

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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 took a tour of the nursery, indoors and outdoors, with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of staff's teaching and children's learning during activities throughout the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation, including planning, children's learning journals and policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager and members of staff throughout the day.

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Information about the setting

Barnabas House Day Nursery was opened in 1988 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a converted single storey building in Darwen, near Blackburn and is managed by a limited company. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three main rooms and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including the manager with Early Years Professional Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round, from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 81 children attending, who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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

 use the examples of the very good standards of interaction and involvement seen to be used by the majority of staff to support children's play, to ensure that it is consistent across the nursery

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

 provide children with more detailed explanations about why they must be careful, so that they fully understand safety messages.

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who attend

Children are happy and busily involved in purposeful play. Staff provide rich and varied experiences based on their knowledge of the children's interests. They set up many varied types of imaginative play to help children extend their learning and spontaneously adapt activities to children's emerging interests. For example, children use construction resources to build a new castle and excitedly explain the details. Staff are on hand to join in with children's play and support their learning, but only after asking permission or being invited to do so. However, occasionally, the very high standards of staff involvement and interactions with children are not completely consistent across the nursery to ensure that children's learning is always maximised. Children are developing skills for the future as they use computer technology regularly. Their enjoyment of reading is fostered well as staff read to them regularly and children

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who attend

show their understanding as they identify with the emotions in the book. They have opportunities to follow their own learning as resources are freely available and easily accessible. This all builds their self-esteem and confidence through everyday play and routines. This enables the children to develop good skills and attitudes for the next stage of their learning.

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who attend

Children enjoy a full range of activities and resources outdoors across all areas of learning. A window in the rear fence looking over the neighbouring fishing lodge provides wonderful opportunities for children to observe nature, such as ducks. They move an open-sided tent against the fence to create a hide. This sanctuary allows children to extend mark-making and communication skills as they draw and discuss what they see. They collect vegetables they have grown from the planting beds and discuss how things grow. For example, they comment that 'this one is small, I don't think it got enough water or sunshine.' Children have entered a local flower competition and are very active fundraisers for local causes. This means that children have a strong sense of community and empathy with others. The nursery also takes children to the local wildlife education centre where they enjoy open access. This means that children are learning about the world they live through first hand

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who attend

Children progress quickly as knowledgeable, motivated staff observe children's ongoing interests and use this information well to plan the next steps in their learning. Staff track children's progress very well and they understand the different assessment processes, such as the progress check at age two. This ensures any need for additional support for children can be identified at this early age and acted upon in a timely way. Staff know children very well and use this knowledge well to contribute to their record of learning.

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who attend

Parents are involved in nursery life and their children's development and support the nursery activities well, such as fundraising. Children take home library books, which include ideas for ways to support their learning at home. This all means that children are being well prepared for their next stage of learning within the nursery or at school.

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

Staff work closely with parents, gently settling children in, to ensure each child's transition from home into the nursery is a smooth and positive experience. Each child is allocated a key person to support them and form a strong partnership with parents. Parents have discussions with their child's key person on a daily basis and they are confident in the staff's knowledge of their individual children. This helps staff to understand and meet children's individual needs effectively. Staff are caring and attentive towards the children and get to know them well as individuals. Consequently, children's well-being is enhanced as they form comforting bonds with their key person.

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

Older children clearly feel safe and self-assured with staff, freely and confidently approaching them with their comments and requests and inviting them to join in with play. The nursery is well resourced and offers children a good range of play and learning experiences, indoors and outdoors. Resources are readily accessible. This teaches children to be confident in their ability to make decisions by enabling them to make their own choices and selections, which heightens their sense of belonging and independence. Children have many opportunities to take part in additional activities, such as swimming lessons and trips to the local park and education centre. This means that children gain confidence in the world they live in and develop a comprehensive set of life skills.

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

Staff are good role models of behaviour and treat children with kindness and respect. This is helped by a calm approach and clear reminders from most staff to enforce reasonable boundaries. Children are generally well behaved as staff use positive strategies to help them to learn right from wrong and manage minor behaviour issues. They are honing their social skills as they help to set the table and pass cups to other children.

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

Meals are varied, healthy and nutritious, encouraging children to make positive food choices. They are learning to care for themselves and develop their independence as older children serve their own food and control their own portion sizes. Children learn good hygiene habits through regular routines and reminders, for example, washing their hands after toileting and before eating. They learn how to keep themselves safe as they take risks in a supported environment, competently using tools in the garden and jumping into the ball pool. However, occasionally safety messages are not linked clearly to these activities to ensure that children gain a deeper understanding of their role in promoting their own and others safety. A healthy lifestyle is given high priority as children have daily opportunities for fresh air, daylight and exercise in the outdoor area. This, combined with trips to the local park and harvesting and using fruits and vegetables from the nursery

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

garden, means that children are gaining good physical skills and understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. This all contributes to children being well prepared for their future transitions to school socially, emotionally and physically.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children are effective and staff have a secure knowledge of what to do should they have any concerns about a child. This contributes well to maintaining children's safety and protects their well-being. Effective staff deployment and safety practices help keep children safe. For example, toddlers and pre-school children make their own choices to play indoors or outdoors and staff follow their lead, deploying themselves to ensure children are safe and well supported. Ratios of adults to children are maintained at all times. Key documentation is well organised and maintained, in order to underpin children's welfare and safety. For example, accident and incident forms are completed thoroughly, shared by parents and include details of any first aid treatment given.

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provision

Robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that everyone working with the children are suitable to do so. The management monitor the ongoing suitability of all staff effectively through regular meetings and appraisals. These procedures promote children's safety and the quality of provision well. Staff work well as a team. They are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, demonstrating a good level of commitment to further training.

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provision

Parents have high levels of regard for the service provided and feel the nursery values their opinions sought verbally and through questionnaires. Parents' skills and connections are utilised well to ensure children benefit from additional activities and resources. Transitions for children moving on from nursery to school are well supported. Useful and accurate information is passed onto school teachers, who are invited to nursery to meet the children before they move on.

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provision

The staff team are committed to the continuous evaluation and improvement of their practice. All of the staff team actively contribute their views and opinions and they monitor and evaluate the provision well. The manager collects and evaluates information on children's progress within the nursery to ensure that they offer a full range of learning opportunities across all the areas of learning and children make good progress. Staff use their planning generally successfully to consider ways to support and extend children's current learning and development.

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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 301664 Local authority Blackburn Inspection number 931167

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 59 Number of children on roll 81 Name of provider Barnabus Schools Out Link Limited Date of previous inspection 19/04/2011 Telephone number 01254 704 004

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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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