Ferndale Road Day Nursery

Ferndale Road Day Nursery Ground Floor, Exbury House, Ferndale Road, London, SW9 8AZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/04/2013 21/06/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Staff practices do not safeguard and promote children's welfare.  The provider has failed to ensure that all required policies and procedures are in place.  Not enough is done to ensure the safety of the children and others on the premises in case of fire, reducing risks and hazards or in assessing the suitability of equipment.  Not enough is done to ensure the health of children and others on the premises in case of an accident or maintaining appropriate standards of hygiene in the kitchen.  The lack of self-evaluation means that management does not have an accurate appraisal of practice to secure future improvements, including the need to extend children's communication and language skills, and improve some adult-led activities.

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It has the following strengths

 Children behave well and have positive relationships with staff and each other.  Staff provide some interesting and stimulating activities that engage children and mostly build on their interests and level of development, so progress is satisfactory.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play and staff interaction, indoors and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to all staff about their roles and responsibilities and held discussions with the manager and registered provider.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined documentation, including a representative sample of children's records, learning journals, staff suitability records, policies, and procedures.  The inspector talked to some parents.

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Information about the setting

Ferndale Road Day Nursery is one of two early years provisions run by an individual provider. The nursery registered in 2002 on the Early Years Register. It operates from a refurbished ground floor flat situated within a residential estate in Brixton, located in the London borough of Lambeth. Children are accommodated in three playrooms and have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. There are currently 43 children aged from 12 months to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years and cares for a number of children who are learning English as an additional language. A total of seven staff work with the children. Of these, four staff hold relevant National Vocational Qualifications at level 3 and two hold similar qualifications at level 2. The manager holds a Foundation

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must:

 ensure that the safeguarding policy and procedures are in line with the guidance and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) by covering the use of mobile phones in the nursery and ensure that these procedures are implemented by staff

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must:

 foster a culture of mutual support and continuous improvement by putting appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of staff to help them to understand their roles and responsibilities concerning children's safety and well- being, and by using reflective practice and self-evaluation, to identify the nursery's strengths and priorities for development, including input from parents

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must:

 review procedures for identifying and assessing risks to ensure children’s safety, with particular regard to a) the temperature of radiators b) safety of electrical sockets c) the accessibility and contents of the first aid box d) cleanliness of the kitchen e) the accessibility of the fire extinguisher in the kitchen f) suitability of chairs used for younger children.

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

 improve the organisation of some adult-led group activities, so that these better meet the needs of the younger children; for example, by providing more resources so that they do not spend too long waiting to have a turn.

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

 improve the programme for communication and language, by improving the ability of staff to build on children's vocabularies, for example by naming objects during activities, such as cooking, so that the younger children in particular can gradually link a word to its meaning.

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who attend

Staff have a secure understanding of how children learn, overall. They use a systematic approach to make observations of the children as they play and plan activities that help all children to reach expected levels of development. Children's language development is fostered suitably overall through a range of practical activities, storytelling, discussions and singing. Staff work well with families whose children are learning English as an additional language. They learn key words and label areas in the children's home languages. Children use their home language in their play and are confident in saying English alternatives. In addition to this, all children are learning to speak and sing songs in French. This helps children to recognise and develop respect for other languages. Such activities help children gain some skills for their eventual move to school.

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who attend

Discussions during adult-led cooking activities help older children to anticipate or initiate what is happening and to talk about their observations. For example, these children describe what they smell and the changes that occur when the different ingredients are mixed together. However, staff do not adapt the activity to the younger children's level and understanding in order to capture their interest. For example, staff do not help younger ones become familiar with items by name. They do not use words to name ingredients and objects such as 'flour' and 'whisk', so that younger children can begin to link the word to its meaning and broaden their vocabularies. This means the younger children's attention lapses and they leave the cooking activity because it is not pitched at their level. For example, they struggle to wait for long periods until it is their turn to mix the ingredients together.

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who attend

Children enthusiastically join in familiar action songs and rhymes that help to consolidate their understanding of numbers. Staff allow children to problem solve through simple addition and subtraction by asking what number comes before or after each number. Children use their fingers to say one less from a group of five when singing number rhymes. They confidently check the number of people present at story time and add one more each time someone arrives. Very young children are developing practical problem solving methods as they insert shapes into containers and solve simple puzzles.

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who attend

Children learn about the world we live in through exploring natural materials and a varied range of everyday objects in treasure baskets with different textures, sounds and weight. These excite and encourage very young children's interests and curiosity. They respond enthusiastically to what they see, hear, smell and touch. Children search through foam and rice to find buried objects, which encourages them to explore and investigate. Children are learning about growth and how to care for living things. Children plant sunflower seeds and make books with their drawings and marks to illustrate and record their findings. This helps children to learn about change over time and develop their pre- reading and writing skills. The displays of large size photographs of the children participating in activities around the nursery and children's work, such as self-portraits support a sense of pride and achievement. Children take part in planned music lessons

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who attend

where they can explore different instruments and songs from around the world. Children take part in different celebrations and use resources that reflect positive images of different cultures, gender and disability in their play. This helps children begin to learn that they have similarities and differences that connect them to, and distinguish them from others.

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

Children's safety is compromised and overall their welfare needs are not sufficiently met to ensure their safety. Staff do not adequately check the premises and take appropriate action to minimise risks to ensure that it is safe for the children. In addition to this weakness, the chairs used for babies and very young children at mealtimes do not ensure their safety. These do not enable children to have their feet firmly on the ground in order to aid stability and upper body control.

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

Staff provide a varied range of resources that cover the seven areas of learning. They carefully position equipment and resources to help ensure all children can make choices from the activities available. Children are beginning to learn how to keep themselves and others safe through good behaviour, daily routines and when using equipment. They willingly help to tidy away the toys and resources while singing, 'we all help together'. They wear safety hats and goggles when pretending to 'fly' on the seesaw aeroplane. Regular fire drills help children to become familiar with the procedures so they learn how to leave the premises quickly and safely.

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

Children delight in using the outdoor area, which is used effectively to provide a stimulating and challenging environment for all children and to extend their physical skills. Children enjoy their time in the garden and are very busy with their games. Children learn to manoeuvre wheeled toys and experiment with different ways of moving, showing increasing control when playing ball games and using the climbing equipment. Children talk about the marks they make when using chalks to draw on the ground, developing the skills they need for the next stage in learning. Children are beginning to learn to take care of their personal needs and adopt appropriate hygiene practices from a young age. Staff support children to wash their hands and explain the reasons why they need to do so. Children benefit from healthy meals and snacks, and can help themselves to a drink of water because staff place trainer cups and water containers where children can easily

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

The key person system, in which staff take special responsibility for named children, helps children to form secure attachments with staff who are responsive to their individual needs. Staff implement appropriate settling-in routines from home to the nursery. Children who are anxious are constantly reassured by their key person who is always close-by supporting children until they are confident enough to move away to explore the surroundings. The staff's calm and patient attitude to managing children's behaviour through distraction and simple explanations encourages children to respond well to any guidance and praise.

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

Staff join the children on their move through to the other playrooms in the nursery. Children visit with their key person, gradually increasing the length of time that they stay. Staff and parents work together to provide appropriate support and prepare children who are moving on to school. This supports children's emotional well-being and gives them the confidence to explore new experiences and adapt to new situations.

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provision

Recruitment and vetting procedures help to ensure that staff working with children are checked as suitable to do so. All staff are appropriately qualified in childcare and some have the opportunity to improve their qualification level. Staff have attended some relevant training, such as child protection, however, staff supervision is in its infancy. It does not provide ongoing support and coaching, resulting in staff's poor understanding of how to safeguard children's welfare and promote their health and safety. The safeguarding children policy and procedures are not in line with the guidance and procedures of LSCB. It does not cover the use of mobile phones, which is a breach of a legal requirement. Although staff are provided with individual lockers for their personal belongings, safeguarding practices are not adhered to by staff. Mobiles phones are easily accessible in areas where the children are cared for which means that the provider does

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provision

not fully understand the responsibility to protect the welfare of the children, and make sure that staff are clear about this duty. Adequate staff members who hold a current first aid certificate are on duty, however, the first aid box is not stocked sufficiently with appropriate contents for use, which is a further breach of a legal requirement. This weakness means that children may not receive appropriate care if there is an accident.

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provision

Most of the required records are adequately maintained, including a record of complaints and their outcome. There are systems in place to assist staff in carrying out visual checks of the premises before each session. However, staff are not effective in monitoring potential dangers to the children and do not take appropriate action to reduce risks. As a result, the premises are not safe. For example, in areas used by the children, heating systems are very hot to touch and electrical sockets do not have covers. In addition to this, the safety gate in the entrance door to the kitchen prevents the door from closing. A build-up of dirt and dust has accumulated and the fire extinguisher is wedged behind the door. This means that the kitchen is not maintained to a satisfactory level of cleanliness and the fire control equipment it is not easily accessible in an emergency. These weaknesses put the health and safety of children and others on the premises at risk.

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provision

Therefore, the provider is not providing suitable premises to meet children's needs and this is a breach of the legal requirements.

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provision

For the most part, staff are sufficiently successful in monitoring the educational programmes. Children receive a broad range of experiences to help them make steady progress in their learning and development. Parents are kept informed about their children's achievements, well-being and development. They receive appropriate information through daily information sheets, weekly communication diaries and can view their children's 'learning journals' at any time. Staff provide parents with a written summary of their children's learning and development between the age of two and three years; parents are involved and contribute to their children's learning. For example, children take home the nursery bear 'Thomas' and parents keep a diary of their child and 'Thomas Bear' activities and adventures supported by photographs. Staff suggest activities that parents can do at home to support children's early writing skills and understanding of

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provision

numbers. Parents comment that they find this very useful because they can discuss their observations with staff and plan how to support their child's learning, particularly in preparation for school. The nursery receives advice and support from the local authority early years services. This enables them to have access to special knowledge and skills to support children identified with additional needs, should the need arise.

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provision

The provider is in the early stages of reviewing the system for self-evaluation. She includes input from staff and the manager but this is not extended so that parents are involved in important decision-making on key matters that affect the nursery. Staff have taken some appropriate steps to raise standards based on recommendations made at the previous inspection. However, they have not identified significant weaknesses in order to target areas in need of most development to bring about rapid continuous improvement to the provision and the outcomes for children. As a result, the provider fails to meet a number of the safeguarding and welfare requirements.

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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 EY100846 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 909854 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 43 Name of provider Natalie Anne Salawa Date of previous inspection 21/06/2011 Telephone number 0207 733 9779

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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’.

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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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