Happy Hours Day Nursery

Happy Hours Day Nursery Happy Hours Day Nursery, Milton Crescent, DUDLEY, West Midlands, DY3 3DR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/08/2013 10/12/2008

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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 use their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm effectively to ensure that children are consistently challenged and make good progress in their learning and development.  Parents are provided with opportunities to engage in and extend their children's learning at home, for example, through the library and the visits home made by various soft toy characters.  Staff are supportive of all children and respond appropriately to their individual needs. They interact very positively with the children and forge caring relationships that help children to feel secure.  Management and accountability arrangements are clearly understood and consistently applied. The effective programme of professional development helps staff to improve their knowledge, understanding and practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to improve the organisation of lunch time to enhance older children's independence further.  Children have fewer opportunities to strengthen their understanding of why things happen and how things work, through using programmable toys, pulleys and levers.

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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 practice in all areas of the nursery, indoors and outside and interacted appropriately with children during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the owner, deputy manager and staff during the course of the inspection.  The inspector carried out a safety check on the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of comments from parents spoken to at the inspection and from views obtained by the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined a range of documentation, including risk assessments, complaints, staff records, policies and procedures and children's records.

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Information about the setting

Happy Hours Day Nursery was registered in 1989 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a purpose built premises on the campus of The Straits Primary School, in the Gornal area of Dudley. The nursery is privately owned and is accessible to all children and serves the local area. It operates from three main care rooms and there is a variety of enclosed areas available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. Of these, 18 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including one member of staff, who holds a Graduate Leader qualification at level 5.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 92 children attending, who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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

 enhance older children's developing independence skills further, particularly at mealtimes, by encouraging them to prepare their place at the table and serve themselves

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

 increase the range of opportunities available to children, so that they can experiment and discover how different resources and equipment operate to further their learning.

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who attend

Children make good progress in this busy and stimulating environment. They relate very well to the familiar staff, who join in with the children's play and share their enthusiasm for learning. Together, staff and children solve problems, discovering and exploring their environment eagerly. For example, staff use open questions with children about differences in society and sensitively extend their learning. Children recall that a person wearing glasses may be 'blind'. Staff encourage the children to reconsider and pose further questions about vision and how using glasses makes things clearer. Outside, babies crawl actively around their dedicated play area, pulling to standing as they vigorously shake the various plastic bottles hanging from the fence, discovering different sounds and weights. Opportunities for older children to explore cause and effect with some equipment, such as pulleys and programmable toys, are not as well defined as in

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who attend

other areas of development. They do, however, access technology equipment and use the computer with skill.

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who attend

During story time, staff use a range of props and skills to engage children's attention and interests. A story about a character losing things is used to great effect to consider what it means to lose special possessions. Such emphasis on good quality teaching supports children's communication and language development as they initiate conversations and extend their vocabulary. For instance, staff use words, such as 'threatened' when describing how some animals show fear and apprehension by putting their ears back. Small finger puppets and other similar props are used to ensure that each child is able to relate and engage well in stories and songs. Staff use their vocal skills to identify children's individual characters and consequently, they listen intently and are interested. This is particularly advantageous for the older children as they prepare for their transition to school. It also helps children as they move up from the toddler base room to the busier

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who attend

pre-school routine. Children develop an independent approach to their learning and activity. For example, they help themselves to resources, such as crates and tyres, building and constructing with imagination. However, not all opportunities to develop their independence further are fully considered. For example, at mealtimes, older children are not always involved in preparing the table or serving their food for themselves.

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who attend

Outdoor play is used well to promote all areas of children's learning. They test out their confidence and skills as they play actively, clambering up the steps with ease and balancing on the low walls. They challenge staff to races on the scooters and much hilarity is had when staff join in and encourage them to push themselves further. Babies clamber round the furniture, honing early walking skills. They are supported in this by staff who know each child's levels of skill and stages of development well because observation and assessment is accurate and precise.

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who attend

A recent review of the way in which new documents were being used to track children's overall development revealed that this was not as accurate as it could be. Further discussions and evaluations of the process have resulted in the staff being much more confident of how to ensure that any gaps in children's progress are identified and effectively planned for. Parents are fully involved in their children's progress as they share achievements from home, such as babies taking first steps, toddlers sleeping in their own bed and children noticing the first letters of their names in signage. They access the library, sharing books and stories at home. Children eagerly look forward to the various soft toys that visit their homes and parents record the escapades in written and photographic form. Staff have also considered the impact of the male influence in families, celebrating the roles of dads and grandfathers in children's lives. Parents are fully involved

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who attend

in the summary assessments made on their children, particularly the progress check at age two. Staff are aware of parents being active partners in seeking timely intervention from the relevant agencies and professionals if such support was required, to enable a child to reach their full potential.

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

Children are busy and active throughout the day, indoors and outside. They enjoy outdoor activities in all weathers, using the recently acquired canopies to shelter and discover the different seasons. They run around with gusto, using the additional facilities within the school to develop their physical skills and coordination. Clambering up the banks takes effort and they then balance and jump from the tyres, confident in the support they receive from the staff. This activity is used by staff to further promote health through discussion as they highlight aspects, such as being out of breath and feeling how fast their hearts are beating. Most children can attend to their own care needs with confidence and have a clear understanding of why good hygiene is important in being healthy. Staff work closely with parents to address routines and next steps, such as toilet training, ensuring that the child is ready and aware of the physical indications.

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

Children enjoy healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Many of the children display hearty appetites as they tuck into the freshly cooked dinners, discussing how strong they will grow. Babies have fresh and dried fruit for snack and extend their tastes as they experience softer fruit. Some fruits are tinned in fruit juice, so that risks of choking are minimised for the younger children, while extending their experiences of new tastes and textures. Older children share their home experiences, demonstrating their knowledge of where milk comes from on their farm and how the cows are milked with 'tubes' everyday.

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

Children relate very well to their key persons and feel settled and emotionally secure. Staff know their children well and support them as they cope with changes in their lives, such as a new baby in the family. Staff are intuitive when managing children's behaviour, taking account of such events or children's possible anxieties when preparing for the move to school. Staff use play imaginatively to address such feelings. For example, children and staff together seek out the 'wicked witch' who 'lives in the school shed' and knock to see if the witch is in. Such play gives children the opportunity to express some feelings and show support for others too. Some older children show empathy for other children. They notice a child, who looks sad and saying 'come and play with me if you want to'. This shows a clear awareness of considering the feelings of others.

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provision

This inspection was conducted as result of concerns raised with regard to children's safety, the educational programmes and the quality of the systems for assessing and recording children's progress. Following an incident at the beginning of the year, when a child's finger was caught in a door, the management reviewed the area. Finger guards were fitted to the door between the toddler room and the pre-school room to ensure that such an accident does not happen again. For the remainder of the room bases, lower level safety gates are in place and do not require finger guards. The management reported the action taken to parents to reassure them of children's safety. Staff conduct rigorous risk assessments to minimise hazards to children. They are mindful when doing these, so that children's ability to start assessing some risks for themselves is fostered appropriately. For example, when children spot some fungi in the damp grass, they know to go to a member

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provision

of staff to inform them. Consequently, children are learning about their own safety.

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provision

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection issues, sharing their duty of care with parents and carers. They attend regular training to update and renew their skills in this area and all are aware of their collective responsibility in keeping children protected and safe from abuse or harm. Procedures for the recruitment and selection of staff are rigorous and robust. All staff undergo the Disclosure and Barring Service checks and regular monitoring of staff practice by the manager and owner helps to identify any training needs. Staff speak positively about the opportunities they have for furthering their professional knowledge, skills and qualifications, contributing to their enthusiasm and the good quality of teaching that supports children's achievement. This contributes to children being ready for the next big steps in their lives, such as the move to other settings or full-time school.

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provision

The monitoring of practice and the mentoring of staff helps to drive continuous improvement. The educational programmes cover all aspects of child's learning and development, particularly the prime areas connected to their physical, social and emotional development and their communication and language acquisition. Where staff may require assistance in their recording and summaries of children's assessment, the owner and managers provide tailored support. Recent concerns about the use of the tracking document were noticed swiftly and the staff received further training in its implementation. The senior staff contacted families where there were errors to reassure them that children were indeed making the expected progress.

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provision

There is thorough evaluation of the provision and the management involves all concerned in the nursery to identify strengths and drive improvement. A range of systems is used for this including the environmental rating scales delivered by the local authority. The owner welcomes the inspection process, in order to build on key strengths and plan future developments. The views of parents and children are also sought and contribute to some changes and improvements. Parents compete regular questionnaires and comment on how their children 'love coming to nursery as the staff are loving and caring'. Parents appreciate the developmental records, referring to the learning journals as 'a great idea' and stating that they help parents to see how their children are developing. The nursery also asks parents to discuss the nursery with their children and record children's views and opinions. Questions include discussing what the children like or dislike about the nursery

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provision

and other things they would like to do. Comments include a reference to 'don't like tidying up' and a child, who likes 'playing in the sand pit because I can build sandcastles'. Another child wants to collect twigs in the nursery like they do when out on walks and visits to local parks and shops. Such consideration contributes to children feeling secure and valued in the busy and spacious nursery. They are supported by enthusiastic staff, who obviously enjoy the time they spend playing and working with the children and preparing them for the next steps in their lives.

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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 253801 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 927346

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 92 Name of provider Julie Elcock Date of previous inspection 10/12/2008 Telephone number 01902 881021

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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

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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