Busy Bees Day Nursery at Sittingbourne

South Avenue Day Nursery - Kinder Group Limited South Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4SU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/09/2013 15/04/2013

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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

 Children settle well and benefit from secure and trusting relationships with the staff. They provide children with praise and reassurance, which boosts their confidence and helps them to become self-assured individuals.  The nursery places a very high priority on the safety of children through its practical measures and partnership working with other professionals and agencies to support children's welfare.  Effective partnership with parents means that there is a united approach to meeting individual children's needs, extending their learning and helping them to develop relevant skills for future learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The nursery is committed to outdoor learning, however, there is scope to improve the outdoor environments to fully maximise opportunities for children's learning and development.

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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 looked at required documentation, including complaint records, sampled policies, procedures and children's progress records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff in all rooms, and outside, interacting with children and held discussions with them.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the management team about the provision and the self-evaluation processes.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents via questionnaires, references and through discussion.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

South Avenue Day Nursery registered in 1999. It is part of Kinder Groups Ltd, a chain of nurseries in Kent. The nursery operates from a purpose-built mobile building set within the grounds of South Avenue Infants School in Sittingbourne, Kent, and there are fully enclosed areas for outside play. The nursery mostly serves families from the local area. It is open each weekday from 7.15am to 6pm all year round. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 129 children on roll, who are all in the early years age range. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are 21 members of staff working with the children. Of these, 15 hold appropriate qualifications at National Vocational Qualification levels 2 and 3. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the

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Information about the setting

provision of 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:

 enhance further the outdoor play environments, to reflect the quality of the continuous indoor provision and to further extend children's learning and development opportunities.

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how young children learn. They create age and stage appropriate child-centred environments in each of the base rooms. Although the outdoor learning environments are good, staff do not further extend children's learning opportunities by providing as many stimulating resources and learning experiences as they do in the indoor environment. Staff understand children's individual needs because they talk to parents at the children's settling-in times and find out about their child's preferences, characteristics and capabilities. Staff use this information efficiently, along with their own initial observations, to form the children's starting points for learning. Each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mixture of adult-led and child-initiated activity. As a result, children settle quickly and are well motivated.

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who attend

Staff make frequent observations and assessments on children's learning. This enables staff to see if progress is as expected, above, or below for their age and stage of development. They use information from parents about their interests and experiences at home to help motivate children in their learning. Consequently, staff can address any gaps in learning as they emerge and this early intervention helps children to catch up. Learning journals are readily available and parents have regular contact with their children's key persons to share in their progress. Staff complete a summative progress report each term and this information is used as the basis for the progress check for two-year-old children. Open days and displays throughout the nursery give parents useful information, including ideas for continuing their child's learning at home.

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who attend

Babies and toddlers have numerous opportunities to learn about the world around them by using all of their senses as they explore natural materials and everyday objects in the treasure baskets. They have tremendous fun squishing paint, shaving foam and jelly through their fingers and begin to make simple marks on the table and floor. Babies and toddlers show great enjoyment as they bang and shake homemade instruments to produce sounds and join in enthusiastically with the words and actions to songs. Babies and toddlers attempt to match and post shapes, push buttons and levers and to complete puzzles. Staff encourage them but do not take over. This allows children to try for themselves and results in them achieving what they set out to do.

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who attend

Staff know the children very well and as a result they plan interesting and varied activities linked to children's interests and abilities. Children are eager to begin their day, registering their arrival by finding their name or photograph and then choosing activities to take part in with their friends or in small groups with staff. Children play enthusiastically in the role play areas, where they dress up and mimic what they see at home. Resources in these areas are changed frequently so children can experience playing at shops, the vet or post office. The recent addition of a 'mud kitchen' outdoors has proved very popular and allows children to experiment in the natural environment. Staff support children's curiosity about living things by encouraging them to use magnifiers to hunt for worms and insects in the bug garden. Children also have first-hand learning experiences of looking after the nursery

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who attend

guinea pigs and handling more exotic animals when the 'Zoo Lab' visits.

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who attend

Children's physical development is good. Younger children crawl and walk around the room with support from dedicated staff. Older children have opportunities outside to climb and balance on climbing frames, use bicycles and sit and ride toys, skilfully negotiating the obstacles. They play with bats and balls and skipping ropes safely and cooperatively. To further children's mathematical skills, staff plan activities, such as baking, and provide opportunities for them to recognise the numbers on the scales and compare the weight of the ingredients. Children enjoy taking turns using the nursery computer and other interactive and programmable resources to develop their understanding of technology.

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who attend

Children's communication and language skills are developing very well. This is because staff engage in a wide range of conversations with children and use open-ended questions to support them to develop their vocabulary. Home languages are respected and, families are asked to provide details of important words and phrases to help staff support and communicate with children who speak English as an additional language. Staff adapt their interactions and use a photographic time line to support all children's understanding of the daily routine. Staff use props and puppets to make story telling sessions exciting. Younger children snuggle with staff and enjoy looking at the pictures. Staff use expression in their voice and ask older children questions to encourage them to anticipate what is going to happen next. Children also become engaged in activities to promote writing skills, as they write shopping lists and attempt to write their name accurately. Children's upper arm

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who attend

muscles are built up in preparation for writing through fun physical activities which staff call 'Write Dance.' These opportunities aid their early literacy skills effectively.

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

All children build strong attachments to their key person, other members of staff and the children in their base rooms. Information gained from parents, as the children come into the nursery, forms the basis for the 'All about me' form. Key staff work with parents in completing this form, to ensure that children's starting points and care needs are recognised and met. Parents have the opportunity to discuss and update this information as the children move rooms within the nursery. Staff follow children's individual care routines and liaise with parents at the end of each session about their child's day.

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

Staff deployment is observed to be highly effective in supporting children's welfare and learning. Children behave well; they are cooperative and are learning to take turns and to share through well-managed activities and good support from staff. Clear and consistent instructions by staff and good routines ensure that children understand what is expected of them. Staff thank the children for their help as they willingly help at tidy up time. Storage systems are at the children's level and boxes are labelled with either words or pictures, or both, helping them to access and put away the toys independently. This encourages children to follow their own interests. Children gain a good sense of belonging as they see many examples of their artwork and photographs displayed. The nursery celebrates a range of festivals and events that represent the families and children that use the setting, and uses this to teach the importance of the acceptance of diversity. Parents

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

are encouraged to contribute to these whenever possible, in order to enhance the links for children between home and nursery.

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

All areas of the nursery are clean and well maintained to help prevent the spread of infection. Baby toys and nursery furniture are sanitised regularly and fresh bedding provided for each child. Staff create quiet and calm environments where children can rest or sleep in comfort according to their needs. Staff follow stringent nappy changing and bathroom routines with the children. Older children are learning to take care of their own care needs as they independently wash their hands in preparation for meals and snacks and after using the toilet. Older children are encouraged to use the mirror in the bathroom to see if they have wiped their face clean.

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

An outside caterer provides healthy, nutritious main meals for the children. Staff discuss children's individual dietary requirements with parents and staff liaise with the caterer to ensure that menus are inclusive so that children do not feel different due to their dietary needs. Mealtimes are social events. Staff encourage babies to be independent and develop new skills by giving them soft spoons to enable them to practise feeding themselves. The key person is close by to ensure their safety and that they eat enough food and get plenty of fluids. Older children develop independence skills as they help to set the table, pour drinks, are involved in serving themselves and help to clear away at the end of the meal.

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

Children benefit from plenty of fresh air and exercise in the nursery garden and are beginning to understand that eating healthily and being active keeps them fit and healthy. Children eagerly help to plant, nurture and harvest tomato plants and runner beans in the garden and are excited to see how these are incorporated into meals.

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

Staff are vigilant and on hand to supervise children well without encroaching on their own level of risk taking. Children discover how much fun it is to climb to the top of the climbing frame and learn how to handle tools safely. Children participate in regular fire drills and practise crossing the road safely on outings. Staff use these occasions to discuss why certain routines are followed in order to fully support children's understanding of how to keep safe. Children receive excellent preparation in terms of independence skills and confidence for their next steps in education. The nursery has formed links with local schools and teachers are invited to the nursery to meet the children and to discuss their progress and learning styles with their key person. These visits and information aid in a smooth move for children on to school.

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provision

The leadership and management are strong. The nursery manager is supported well by area managers from within the company. All work together effectively and have high expectations for the quality and care that is provided for children and families. Procedures for recruitment, induction and staff performance management are robust. As a result, the nursery has a staff team who have their suitability verified and continually monitored and who are supported in their own professional development. Staff demonstrate a consistently high understanding of their roles and responsibilities. This is because they are frequently reviewed during supervision and staff meetings as well as through in-house and local authority training opportunities. Managers use effective systems to monitor the quality and consistency of observations, assessments and planning for children's learning. The managers closely monitor the quality of teaching through frequent observations as

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provision

All documentation for the safe and effective management of the nursery is very well organised, regularly reviewed and updated to take account of revised legislation. Accident and medication procedures are efficiently followed and clear records are completed and shared with parents to protect children's welfare. Staff rotas are organised to ensure suitably qualified staff with first aid training are always on duty. This ensures staff effectively promote children's safety and well-being. The nursery's policies and procedures underpin the good standard of care and learning for all children in the nursery. This includes a policy for the restricted use of cameras and mobile phones on the premises and the procedure parents should follow if they have a concern or complaint. Complaints are dealt with swiftly and all relevant parties informed to ensure children are safeguarded.

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provision

Staff fully understand their responsibility to keep children safe and safeguarding is a high priority for the nursery. Effective policies and procedures are based on those of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. Designated senior staff within the company take overall responsibility for safeguarding. They ensure the whole staff team are aware of their responsibilities and know what actions to take in the event of any child protection concerns. Risk assessment is comprehensive and covers the premises, aspects of children's play both indoors and outside, and trips out into the community. Staff deployment and ratios in each room are monitored effectively. Staff are vigilant and routinely record how many children are in each room and how many children are outdoors with other staff. This means children are accounted for at all times in an effective manner. Children are protected. The secure entry system on the main door prevents unauthorised

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provision

access to the building and stops children from leaving unaccompanied.

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provision

Detailed self-evaluation has enabled the nursery manager, and her team, to identify areas for further improvement. This system has evolved through careful monitoring and analysis of procedures. Staff work closely with area managers and local authority advisors, observe and talk with children, and seek feedback from parents about how the nursery operates. The nursery has formed links with outside agencies in order to provide a collaborative approach to meeting children's needs. As a result the nursery provides a service aimed at the families who attend and one which promotes good outcomes for all children. Parents make many positive comments about the nursery. These include 'the great support' offered, 'the bright, happy and creative atmosphere' and how pleased they are with their child's progress.

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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 127560 Local authority Kent Inspection number 936567 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 77 Number of children on roll 129 Name of provider Kinder Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 15/04/2013 Telephone number 01795 428881

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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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