Fun HouseOfsted inspection, 7 Aug 2013

Fun House Whitney Road, Daneshill Industrial Estate, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 8NS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/08/2013 21/11/2012

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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

 Staff form positive caring relationships with the children and consequently the children are confident and secure in the environment.  Parents speak positively about the quality of the provision and the supportive staff.  The nursery resources are good quality and displayed attractively to encourage the children to use them.  Safety and security measures are followed very carefully to ensure the nursery children are supervised effectively.  Children make good progress across all areas of their learning.  Staff are good role models and communication and language development is encouraged particularly well.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although parents receive a range of information from the setting there is limited information clearly on display for all parents to see. Particularly in relation to child development and how to make complaints about the provision.

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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 the premises and resources with the manager  The inspector observed the children at play.  The inspector examined records and documents provided by the manager.  The inspector spoke to five parents.  The inspector discussed the provider's self evaluation.

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Information about the setting

Fun House Childcare Centre opened in 2003 and re-registered in 2010 to provide nursery care. It is situated on an industrial estate in Basingstoke. It operates in different designated areas for the nursery and out of school provision, within the same building. The setting has disabled access and toilet facilities on the ground floor and access to an enclosed outside area. The setting opens Monday to Friday 7.30am to 6.30pm all year round. There are currently 300 children on roll that attend the holiday scheme and out of school club and 50 children on roll in the nursery. Of these 50 are in the early years age range. The setting transports children to and from the club from various surrounding schools. The group supports children with English as an additional language and learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are currently 15 members of staff working with the children. Of these, one holds Qualified Teacher Status and another 10 hold suitable

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Information about the setting

childcare qualifications to at least level 3.

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

 strengthen systems to keep parents informed about the educational programme, planning and nursery policies by increasing the range of information easily on display to them within the nursery.

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who attend

Children are very happy in the nursery and make good progress in all aspects of their learning and development. Staff are deployed effectively. They are attentive and plan activities and experiences which they know will encourage individual children's skills and interests. Communication and language is promoted particularly well. Staff listen attentively and show expression in their face and voices as they interact with the children. All the staff provide commentaries to their actions and they ask questions appropriate to children's understanding and abilities. Books are used throughout the nursery to encourage the children's interest and knowledge. Children use them frequently because they are attractively displayed and easy to access. Staff sit on the floor with the children to share a story; they sit close and enjoy recalling and speculating about what will happen in the familiar story. Awareness of numbers, shapes, size and quantity is encouraged well

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who attend

as the staff use mathematical language in their interactions with the children. The children participate in matching games and identify the numbers as they do so. Children learn about the natural world as they grow items and water them. For example, staff encourage them to look at the bean they have grown. They share knowledge about the leaves, the stem and that a flower has not grown yet. Children create their own paintings enjoying the use of the fresh brightly coloured paint. Staff talk to the children about their creations and the colours they are using. This interest encourages the children to talk, describe and develop their creations. Staff write the children's names for them providing them with good opportunities to see their names and begin to recognise the various letters and sounds.

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who attend

Babies explore their environment confidently. They pull themselves to standing against sturdy toys and equipment and staff hold their hands and coax them to take another step. They enjoy playing on the floor, pushing wheeled toys, rolling on cushions and touching sensory objects. The staff take the lead from the babies encouraging and extending their play gently. A baby bangs on the drum and looks for acknowledgement, the adult laughs and talks to the child about banging. The baby does it again recognising the positive responses received. Children enjoy opportunities to use the soft play equipment. They climb in and out of the wheeled toys, throw balls and develop coordination and balance as they walk on the various surfaces.

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who attend

Staff encourage and monitor children's development in partnership with parents well. They observe their play expertly and make notes and take photographs which they use as records of progress. Next steps are identified in partnership with parents and all staff are made aware of these in order that all staff can encourage them. Summaries of development indicate the good progress children make. If staff have concerns they talk to parents and work together to encourage or seek advice if required. Staff undertake two year olds assessments of development, professionally referring to the relevant areas of development. They make these reports available for parents to take to the child's two year old health check.

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who attend

Good care is taken to manage transitions to school and within the setting. Children talk about school, bring in their uniforms and staff encourage them to develop their independence in preparation for school. Children who are moving from the baby room or from the nursery to the holiday club will have visits with a member of staff in preparation for their move.

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

Staff are attentive to the emotional needs of the children. They show warm nurturing care to the babies as they cuddle them. If a baby becomes upset they are attentive and calm, gradually soothing and calming the child. They gather comprehensive information from parents in order to understand and meet the child's needs appropriately. Children appear confident and relaxed in the setting indicating they feel secure. Familiar routines and people help to develop this sense of security. Staff are good role models to the children and behaviour is good. They talk calmly to the children and each other setting a positive example. Children demonstrate good manners in their interactions with staff and playmates. Good care is taken to encourage children to develop a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy freshly cooked healthy food each day prepared on the premises for them. The menu is displayed for parents to see in order that they can plan appropriately. Children enjoy snacks of fruit,

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

vegetables and bread sticks and drinks of milk and water are offered. Water is available throughout the day ensuring children do not become too thirsty. Staff talk to the older children about food and what is good to eat. They also talk to children about healthy practices such as wearing sun cream and why it is important.

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

Staff are safety conscious and undertake risk assessments for all aspects of the provision. They encourage children to think about their actions and how to behave in a safe way. They learn not to run in the playrooms, to pick items up so that they don't trip over and not to push each other as they wait to wash their hands. Children learn to use the equipment with appropriate care. The fire drill is undertaken each month at different times of the day ensuring that the children and all the staff can evacuate the premises swiftly in a hurry. If nursery children use any other areas of the larger provision, such as the soft play area, they are always in the company of a member of the nursery staff.

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

The nursery rooms are clean and good hygiene practices is promoted effectively. The children wash their hands and staff talk to them about why it is important. Shoes are removed in the baby room keeping the floor clean for the children to play. Nappies are checked and changed regularly and the nursery children are encouraged to visit the toilet regularly increasing their abilities to attend to their own toileting needs independently.

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

Nursery children enjoy their own well equipped secure outdoor area where they can safely undertake a variety of physical activities. They also have opportunities to use the soft play resources of the establishment. This is a specific area for the youngest children where they can safely explore different surfaces, crawl, and climb and throw balls. The variety of toys and resources available in the nursery also encourages their finer skills as they use mark making items, do puzzles and build with construction toys.

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

Children lean about cultural and traditional events through their activities. Good care is taken to gather detailed information from parents in order that cultural and dietary needs can be met appropriately. For example, they have adapted their menu to meet specific dietary needs. Posters, resources and books reflect a diverse society providing children with positive images of the wider world.

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provision

Appropriate systems are in place for the recruitment of suitable staff. This includes obtaining suitable references and suitability checks. Staff have an induction period where they learn about the setting and the policies and procedures. Regular annual appraisals are undertaken enabling staff and management to identify strengths and areas for development. Weekly staff meetings provide an opportunity for staff to discuss the progress of the children and plan for the following week. They also undertake training activities. Staff are encouraged to develop their skills through training opportunities. The suitability of all staff is checked before they start work with children. They are also all made aware that they must notify the management team if there is a change in their suitability.

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provision

Children's records indicate they undertake a broad variety of interesting activities which cover all areas of development. They have opportunities for independent activity and also participate in planned activities relevant to their current interests or current events.

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provision

Staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding. They are able to confidently describe what would give them concerns and what action they would take. A comprehensive safeguarding policy is in place and also procedures regarding the use of mobile phones and cameras.

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provision

The nursery children are always in the care of the nursery staff. If they visit the soft play area they are always closely supervised. They do not usually use the soft play area in public sessions unless it is very quiet or for a particular activity such as singing with the toddler group. The nursery management takes into consideration any concerns they receive. As a result of a concern regarding supervision and access to the toilets when members of the public are present the nursery has reviewed their practice. The nursery children, and older holiday scheme children, have their own toilet facilities and do not use those open to the public users. However, the nursery management are reviewing their practice and during this period the public are not able to use the soft play area whilst the holiday scheme is in operation.

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provision

Parents speak positively about the nursery and the provision as a whole. They feel children make good progress in the nursery and that staff are welcoming, approachable and knowledgeable. They do not have any concerns regarding the security of the premises. Parents are offered opportunities to talk with staff about their child's development and they can review and add their comments to their development records when they wish. A newsletter is sent to parents each term which includes information about the planned children's activities and the letters and sounds they will be learning over the coming weeks. The nursery displays a poster about complaining to Ofsted outside the baby room and certificates are displayed on the office walls. However, these cannot be seen by all the parents and there is a limited range of other information easily displayed for them about discussing concerns, development or other relevant childcare information.

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provision

The nursery is proactive at working in partnership with others. They contact schools children move onto and invite teachers to visit the children in nursery in order that they can see them interacting with their playmates. They prepare information for parents to pass on to school when children are moving enabling schools to understand the child's development. They make use of the local authority training opportunities and advice.

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provision

The nursery is well equipped and provides an attractive play environment for the preschool children. The nursery premises are secure and staff risk assess the environment, ensuring appropriate measures are in place, to manage any potential hazards. Some areas of the building however are less attractive and appear unkempt, which does not create an initial good impression, although they do not present as hazards to the children. The management are proactive at reviewing the provision and seek parental and staff views on a regular basis. They use this information to develop and improve the service they offer. They also welcome the local authority advice and support. Through this reflective practice they have recently improved the outdoor play area for the nursery children and made improvements to the menu. They strive to provide an excellent service and have reacted quickly when concerns have been raised regarding aspects of the

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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 EY242713 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 931355 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 14 Total number of places 136 Number of children on roll 300 Name of provider Fun House Ltd Date of previous inspection 21/11/2012 Telephone number 01256 471066

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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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