Noah's Ark Childrens Nursery

Noah's Ark Nursery Lancing Manor Park, Manor Road, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 0PH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/08/2013 22/03/2013

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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

 Practitioners encourage children's language very well through ongoing discussion and questioning.  Practitioners provide many opportunities for children to use their imaginations and creativity.  The management is effective in leading and supporting the staff team.  Children are encouraged to make decisions about how and where they use the resources.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The pace of some group sessions such as singing action rhymes and storytelling, is sometimes too fast for all children to have time to think and fully take part.

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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 observed activities both indoors and outside.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of children, parents and grandparents, through discussions during the inspection.  The inspector viewed a sample of documentation including policies and planning.

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Information about the setting

Noahs Ark Nursery is privately owned and registered in 2005. It operates from two rooms in a self-contained building within Lancing Manor Park, in Lancing, West Sussex. Children have access to an outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 43 children aged from one year to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Information about the setting

There are six members of staff who work directly with the children, three hold appropriate early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 and three are qualified to NVQ level 3. The nursery provides funded free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds'.

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

 allow sufficient time during story and singing sessions for all children to join in.

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who attend

Every child is observed and assessed when they start at the nursery so staff know what they can do and can make sure there are suitable activities available for them. Staff continue to monitor children's development throughout their time in the nursery in order to follow their progress. Staff very effectively encourage children to direct their own play, much of which stems from small remarks or current interests. For example, they paint a track in the garden based on their community. Children decide what should be included and the main feature is the large roundabout by the nursery. Children know that nearby is a petrol station, a swimming pool and a shop and remember they need a house to live in, all of which are painted on. They ride their scooters and trikes carefully round the track, stopping for fuel and going round the roundabout. They realise they need a hospital when someone pretends to have an accident so a member of staff quickly paints one in to their

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who attend

village directed by the children. Children's interest in travel is further extended as staff engage them in conversations as they sit to eat at mealtimes. Rich discussions emerge as staff invite children to talk about how other children in China may eat their food. Some children know they eat with chopsticks and China is another country in the world and staff show them it on the atlas. The general knowledge and learning in all areas from these sessions is wide ranging for children as they can relate them to their own lives and experiences.

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who attend

Conversation and discussion feature highly throughout the nursery as staff continuously narrate what is happening. They ask children questions about what they are doing and how so they have to consider and predict outcomes. Sessions such as circle time elaborate on this while building children's confidence. They eagerly take turns to show each other what they have brought with them and listen respectfully as their friends speak. Staff introduce new language such as 'camouflage' when thinking about why polar bears are white. The definition is reinforced when they look at a green and brown dinosaur who is that colour so he can hide in trees and mud. Group sessions include singing and story times when children all happily contribute. They take turns to select the songs and ask questions about the storybook. However, sometimes these are sung and read at quite a fast pace so the action songs are difficult to keep up with. Although the confident children

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who attend

speak up, other children who need more time to process the information are not always able to contribute in the same way. Children routinely count and calculate as they play. They estimate how much water they need to clean their vehicles, cut cardboard tubes to the right size to make binoculars and think about whether a rubber ball might sink or float.

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who attend

Staff continually observe what children are doing and know them well. They plan key areas for the focus of each child's next steps so they make good progress all round. All two-year-old children are assessed to identify any significant gaps in their learning so staff can initiate any additional support they may need for them to catch up. Parents are involved in children's learning from the beginning, sharing what they know of their children's abilities and preferences. They constantly exchange information about the children's progress so parents and staff share what children are learning and equally involved.

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

Staff role model good behaviour very well and have high expectations for children. Staff praise and respect the children as equals so they become confident and self-assured. Manners are highly valued and staff encourage children to be courteous. For example, children ask each other politely and wait their turn to borrow equipment. They say, 'thank you' when their turn comes and the other child gives it to them. There is a daily rota for two children to have the additional responsibility of being a daily helper. They proudly wear identification so everyone knows and take charge of ringing the bell for tidy up time for lunch. Some children are too busy playing to be helper and can choose to forfeit their turn. Each child has a key person who helps them settle and gets to know them particularly well. The key person spends time with them and their parents, discussing what they like and how they are progressing. As the nursery is small, children get to know all

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

the staff well so remain settled when their key person is absent. This demonstrates how safe children feel in the nursery so they are relaxed and able to gain the most from the experiences. They become independent and choose much of what they do. Staff help children find any resources they might need, with the aid of an illustrated book to see the full range available.

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

The nursery is organised so children can make choices about what they do and become independent quickly. They can move around freely and the open door arrangement means staff can see children wherever they are and staff are rarely alone with children. Staff help children to think about risks as they question them as they play. They ask them to predict what might happen and suggest safe ways of handling tools. Staff support every child well and get additional help for those needing a bit more support. They work closely with local agencies who give advice on how to manage any episodes of difficult behaviour and make referrals for more specialist help. Children are well prepared for their move on to school. Staff invite local teachers in to visit the children and they spend lots of time talking about what it will be like. Having group activity sessions helps children get used to the social behaviour of being in a larger group. They learn to cope with the fact that sometimes they

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

might have to stop what they are doing such as at lunchtime. Children eat a very healthy diet in the nursery with freshly cooked meals every day. Staff sit and eat with them and meals become very sociable, enjoyable occasions. They talk about the food, and the effect it has on their growing bodies. They discuss how fresh air and exercise make people strong and healthy, so they develop an awareness of healthy lifestyles.

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provision

The nursery team have built up a network of support from various other agencies and professionals. For example, they work closely in partnership with speech and language therapists, health visitors and children's services. This enables them to get additional support for any children who need it such as with language delay. Staff benefit from these relationships as they learn what they can do to help children in the nursery with particular behaviour issues. Staff know what signs to look for that indicate children may be at risk of harm and take prompt action to protect the children. Written policies guide staff on how to manage such concerns as well as general care practices such as nappy changing and giving medication. Staff are well deployed throughout the nursery so children are supported at all times. As the nursery is small, children are always within sight or hearing of staff and staff rarely work alone with children.

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provision

Risk assessments are completed to make sure the nursery stays a safe place for children to explore. Staff are alert to potential risks and keep the premises secure. They monitor who comes in and out and who has responsibility for collecting children so they only go home with authorised people. Staff have effective partnerships with parents and carers of the children. They share information about the children from their first day so parents are fully involved in the children's learning. The staff team work very well together to meet the care and learning needs of the children. They are all keen to continually update their knowledge and skills by attending training. Management monitor staff performance and they jointly decide on a suitable training plan that benefits both the individual staff member and the skill set of the nursery team. They all contribute to evaluating the nursery, as staff views are valued. They know they are effective at identifying their weak

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provision

points and areas they want to improve. They readily accept they do not always acknowledge their strengths to celebrate how good they are with the children. Staff discuss with the children what they like about the nursery and send questionnaires to their parents. This means everyone in the nursery is included in the evaluation process to constantly achieve higher standards.

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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 EY312802 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 932061 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 43 Name of provider Carolyn Hopson Date of previous inspection 22/03/2013 Telephone number 01903 766413

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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

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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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