Kindercare

Kindercare 2 Pannal Ash Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 9AB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/08/2013 26/04/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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 give high priority to providing a very safe and secure environment for children to play and to teaching them about personal safety. This means children are well- protected and kept free from harm.  Children are provided with a wide range of activities particularly those relating to imaginative play, which capture their interest fully. This means children make good progress in their learning and development.  Staff give good attention to making children's transition into the nursery a pleasant experience. Consequently, they settle well, are confident in their environment and happy to spend time away from their parents.  Children are cared for in a very vibrant and colourful environment which has a very good range of resources that are easily accessible. This means children are able to make independent choices in their play and develop their own ideas.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff sometimes use sentences that are a little too complex when engaging with children who speak English as an additional language. This means all children's language development is not consistently supported as well as it could be.  There is scope to develop further, the partnerships with other early years settings children will move on to, to ensure their transitions between providers are fully supported.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children playing in the play rooms and the outdoor areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the manager and spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and discussed the provider's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, planning documents and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation of a water play activity with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Kindercare Pannal Ash Road Day Nursery was registered in 1993 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is privately owned and is part of the Kindercare group of nurseries, based in the north of England. It operates from a detached house which is situated on the outskirts of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. Children are cared for in 10 rooms over two floors and there are three enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 6 and one at level 2. The nursery operates Monday to Friday all year round from 7.30am until 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 160 children attending, all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It receives support from the local authority.

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

 promote an even more consistent approach to using words and sentences that children who speak English as an additional language can fully understand

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

 enhance the sharing of information with providers of other early years settings children will move on to, to ensure their transitions between provisions are supported fully.

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who attend

All staff have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the characteristics of effective learning. They are enthusiastic in their approach and tailor activities to children's individual interests and learning styles. Consequently, children are motivated and concentrate well. This means they make good progress in their development and are well-prepared for school when the time comes. Staff provide a bright and stimulating environment that is rich with displays of children's work to show their efforts are valued and appreciated. Alongside this a good amount of words and numbers are displayed, to show children how these are used in context. For instance, older children each have a named 'smiley face' which they use to self-register on arrival. Children have very good opportunities to play imaginatively and develop their creativity. For instance, staff in the younger children's room set up an area to represent a hair salon, with a good

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who attend

range of associated equipment for children to use. Children are keen to use the resources and delight in taking on the role of a stylist. For instance, one child becomes deeply involved as he pretends to dry a member of staff's hair and straighten it with a pair of straighteners. This enables children to act out real life experiences they have observed, safely in their play. Staff skilfully extend the opportunities for children to play imaginatively to the outdoor area. For instance, they create a 'den' amongst the trees which children delight in using. Children become fully immersed as they use binoculars to look for teddy bears suspended from the trees and closely examine leaves with a magnifying glass. This also very effectively supports children's understanding of the world as they use different equipment for a particular purpose.

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who attend

Staff provide good opportunities for children to join in with group story time, which encourages them to develop good listening skills. Staff read with expression and encourage children to join in with the story, which sustains their interest and means they are not easily distracted. For instance, older children delight in pretending they are using a 'telescope' as they look up, down and to the left and right as they try to spot a 'shark in the park'. They confidently contribute to a story about a bear hunt by joining in with familiar refrains and predicting what might happen next. Staff encourage children to develop their communication and language skills during the activities they provide. For example, as very young children babble, staff imitate their sounds so they learn about conversation. At lunch time staff encourage older children to talk about their home life with them and to express their ideas during small group activities. For instance, when a

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who attend

child talks about a bean stalk a member of staff uses open-ended questions, such as 'what does a bean stalk need to make it grow?' to make the child think. To support children who speak English as an additional language staff learn and display key words in their first language, to aid communication. However, when engaging with such children staff sometimes use questions and sentences that are a little too complex for their level of understanding. This means the language development of some children is not always supported as well as it could be as they are sometimes not able to respond.

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who attend

Staff caring for very young children understand how children of this age learn through exploration. For instance, they provide a good range of toys with flaps and buttons that children can use to learn about cause and effect. Staff also provide materials of different textures, such as dried beans for children to explore freely. As a result, children develop good dexterity and control of their small muscles as they scoop up handfuls of the beans and let them fall from their hands. They also make connections in their learning as they swirl these round the tray and show surprise at the noise this makes. Staff make effective use of observation and assessment. They keep a progress record for each child and parents contribute to this by adding comments about what their children have learnt at home. This means staff can plan effectively for the next steps in children's learning because they have a full picture of their development. Parents are actively encouraged to

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who attend

be involved in children's learning in the nursery and to further this at home. For instance, they are invited to 'stay and play' sessions, so they can support their children as they take part in various activities When children take the nursery's bear home parents are asked to help them record its time with them in a diary and to send a postcard back to nursery if they take the bear on holiday.

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

Children's transitions into the nursery and between rooms are managed in a very sensitive manner by their key persons. For instance, the settling-in process is individualised to meet the needs of each child, which means they settle quickly into the nursery, develop close bonds with the staff who care for them and good friendships with their peers. This means children are emotionally secure and have a good base for their learning and development. For instance, at lunch time one child shows a caring approach as he spontaneously asks another who is new to the room, if he likes the peas that are part of the meal. Children work harmoniously together, which creates a very calm and industrious atmosphere. For instance, two older children cooperate well as they send balls down two pipes. They synchronise their movements so they release their balls at the same time, to see whose will travel the fastest. They keep up a constant dialogue with each other. For instance,

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

one states that his ball is 'going the fastest'. When one pipe falls down they work together to pick this up and lean it against the fence again, so their game can continue. This shows that children are not fazed by meeting challenges and put a lot of effort into their play.

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

Children have clear boundaries so they know what is expected of them, and as a result, they behave very well and know how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they know to put their chair under the table as they get up from eating their lunch, to keep the space clear. They know to line up before coming back indoors so they can all be accounted for. Younger children are taught to put their hands on the shoulders of the person in front, so they stay in line. They all then walk sensibly back across the car park, without running. Once indoors, older children demonstrate that they know to hold on to the banister so they do not fall as they walk back upstairs to their room.

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

Staff provide children of all ages with very good opportunities to play outdoors each day and to use a wide range of equipment. This means children benefit from lots of fresh air and physical exercise, which has a significant impact on keeping them healthy and enabling them to gain good control of their bodies. The outdoor areas quickly become a hive of activity. For example, very young children develop good control of their small muscles as they learn to grip chalks and make marks on a board. Older children show good control as they run and chase bubbles and stretch their bodies as they try and catch these. As they play in a 'tree den' children learn to crouch down low as they walk under branches. This shows they are developing a good sense of spatial awareness and know how to manage their own risks. Staff fully understand that some children may not always want to join in with the more boisterous activities outdoors and sensitively provide quieter

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

activities they can enjoy in the area. For instance, a group of children delight in making marks with crayons on a large piece of paper. This shows staff are very sensitive to children's individual needs. Very young children also have good opportunities to use soft play resources indoors, enabling them to develop their climbing skills in a very safe environment. For instance, one child shows good confidence and self-belief in her abilities as she climbs up a sloping piece of equipment and then slides down this. Children effectively learn about eating healthily because staff teach them about what foods are good for them and what should be eaten in moderation. For instance, they encourage children to eat their vegetables up at lunch time by explaining these will help them grow big and strong.

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provision

The nursery is led and managed very effectively which means the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are met to a good standard. For instance, the manager acts competently as a leader, motivator and mentor for staff. In turn, staff work very well together and ensure children are well-supervised and cared for in a safe and well-organised environment. Policies and procedures are reviewed regularly and amended as necessary, to ensure children's individual needs are met. For instance, the medication policy has been updated to include clear procedures for the use of inhalers with children. The recruitment and vetting of staff is thorough and as part of their induction they all attend training in child protection. This means they understand fully the signs that could indicate a child may be at risk of harm and are confident that they know how to act on any concerns.

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provision

Good attention is given to working in partnership with parents and to keeping them fully informed about the service and their children's day. For example, they have access to the nursery web site and individual diaries are provided for younger children. Reminders about any important procedures parents should follow, such as safe use of the car park, are sent out regularly. Parents express very positive comments about the nursery. For example, they feel that staff treat their children as individuals and made their transition into the setting stress free. They also particularly like attending the nursery 'fun days', which they describe as providing good opportunities to take part in various activities as a family and to interact socially with staff and other parents. Staff support children with special educational needs and/ or disabilities very effectively. For instance, they make visits to observe children in their home environment if parents feel this is beneficial. Staff also

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provision

work closely with any outside agencies involved in children's care and learning, to provide a consistent approach and ensure they reach their full potential. Teachers from the schools children with move on to are invited into the nursery to meet and observe children before they move into their care. However, this arrangement is not fully developed to fully support the transitions of all children.

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provision

The arrangements to monitor the quality of the service and staff's performance are good. Each section within the nursery hold their own staff meetings and meetings when all staff come together are held regularly throughout the year. The manager also consults with the heads of each section once a month. All of which, provides good opportunities for all staff to continually evaluate the nursery and identify areas for improvement. The manager then uses this information very effectively to complete a self-evaluation document for the nursery. From this, she draws up a clear and well-targeted improvement plan. Staff meet with the manager for individual review sessions as and when either party feels this is beneficial and they all have an annual appraisal. This enables staff to reflect on their performance and identify any future training needs. Staff are also starting to carry out peer on peer observations of each other's practice. This enables them to act as a 'critical

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provision

friend' in helping each other to assess how they interact with, and support children's learning. The manager regularly scrutinises children's progress records and collates information from their 'on track' sheets, to identify any gaps in the educational programmes or any child's development. These are then addressed effectively through the provision of additional activities and resources. The recommendation raised at the last inspection has been addressed successfully and parents are regularly asked for their opinion of the service they receive. Any suggestions for improvement are responded to promptly. All of which, means the nursery's capacity for continuous improvement is good.

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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 400131 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 914996

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 160 Name of provider Kindercare (Harrogate) Limited Date of previous inspection 26/04/2010 Telephone number 01423 501492

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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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