Channings Childcare Ltd Werneth

Channings Childcare Springbank Street, WERNETH, Oldham, OL8 4LH

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/10/2013 20/03/2012

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 Children are happy and motivated as they engage in activities that consistently offer interest and effectively promote their learning. Consequently, children become confident learners as they explore and develop their own ideas.  Children are settled and demonstrate that they are secure, through warm and affectionate relationships with the staff. Children play co-operatively with their peers as they share a wealth of high quality resources to enhance their learning.  Children's development is very well recorded, monitored closely and shared with parents and local schools to support continuity in learning.  Self-evaluation is effective in highlighting the nursery's strengths and weaknesses and takes into account the views of staff, parents and other professionals. Development plans for improvement are in place and are realistic and achievable.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's unique art work is not displayed for them to view, in order to consolidate their learning and enhance their enjoyment and sense of achievement.  Older children's ability to maintain concentration as they listen to stories is not fully supported, due to whole group teaching and the diverse stages of development of the children.  The outdoor environment does not provide the very youngest children with a range of natural resources to explore.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities and staff interaction in the playrooms and the outdoor play areas.  The inspector observed lunch time and snack time with the children

p.2

Inspection activities

 Discussions were held with children, individual staff members, the manager, the registered provider of the nursery and some parents. A joint observation was carried out with the manager.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation, including observations, assessments, planning, systems for tracking children's progress and a sample of other records, including policies and procedures.

p.2

Information about the setting

Channings Childcare was registered in 1999 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Werneth area of Oldham, and is managed by a limited company. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a two-storey converted building with three separate enclosed areas for outdoor play.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 4, nine at level 3 and two at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays; from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

p.3

Information about the setting

There are currently 67 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, 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.

p.3

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

 consider displaying children's unique art work at child height for them to enjoy and take pride in their achievements

p.3

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

 review the grouping of children at story time to ensure activities promoting literacy are developmentally appropriate, capture children's attention and support effective listening

p.3

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

 develop the outdoor environment for babies to promote opportunities to engage with natural materials and support sensory development.

p.3

who attend

During the settling-in process staff gather information from parents about the children in relation to their individual care and to assess their starting points for learning. Staff make regular observations of children during play and their development is very well recorded and monitored. Staff plan appropriate individual next steps for learning and offer activities that engage children and are mostly matched to their needs. This means that children become confident learners, as they independently explore and develop their own ideas. Children make good progress in their development and are gaining the skills to support their future learning. Children who have English as an additional language and those who have identified special educational needs and/or disabilities are given individual support by a staff member who knows them well. The staff have a strong desire to ensure all children make the best progress from their initial starting points in learning. Consequently, they

p.3

who attend

work effectively to engage parents and outside professionals in offering individual packages of support to children and write individual education plans when needed.

p.4

who attend

Staff track children's progress termly, complete the progress check for children at age two, and share assessment records with the local authority to support children when they move onto school. This helps support continuity of learning for children. Staff regularly share their assessments with parents through verbal discussion, children's learning records and engage parents in home learning activities. For example, children take home 'Boris the bear' and a book they have chosen from nursery, for their parents to read to them and Boris. This engages parents and children in literacy, supporting children's listening skills and enhancing their language development as they discuss the story. Boris's adventures in the local community are documented in a diary that children eagerly share with their peers, as they explain what happened when he came to stay at their house. This helps to enhance children's social skills and boosts their self-esteem. Parents supports children's

p.4

who attend

learning in the nursery as they share their expertise with the children. For example, they bring in 'sticks' they have used to celebrate the Hindu festival of Navaratri and enhance children's understanding of other cultures.

p.4

who attend

Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Activities and learning experiences are shaped to follow children's interests and provide sufficient challenge across all areas of learning. Staff have high expectations and use effective assessments to extend learning and motivate children through effective teaching. The nursery uses ideas from the 'Every Child a Talker' scheme to enhance children's listening, communication and social skills. Consequently, staff ensure children develop good communication and language skills as they use a range of resources to engage children well. For example, as children initiate their own play, they use descriptive language to enhance their imagination, explaining 'the rocket will blast off and the alien will be sad'. Staff support children's emergent language by responding to children's gestures and by giving babies lots of eye contact and warm

p.4

who attend

smiles. Staff model simple words and respond when babies babble back, with praise and encouragement. Toddlers cuddle in close to staff that support their interest by reading a book they have brought in from home. Other children come to listen and cuddle dolls on their knee as they look at the book, and are engaged well by the staff member who is nurturing and responsive to their interest. However, at story time in the pre-school room, younger children become easily distracted and restless as the story is too long. This means that older children in the group find it more difficult to listen carefully as their concentration is interrupted. Bilingual staff help support children with their initial communication to help them settle and express their needs. Staff gather key words from parents with English as an additional language, to support the wide range of home languages spoken by children attending the nursery. All pre-school children eagerly join in

p.4

who attend

the actions to the rhyme 'Two Little Dickey Birds', which they sing in Urdu and then in English as they celebrate diversity.

p.5

who attend

Children show confidence in their everyday use of number as they regularly count and match objects, such as wooden dominoes. They patiently stand up skittles and squeal with delight as they count how many they have each been able to knock down by rolling the ball at them. Children test out their ideas of how many cups of water it will take to fill a cylinder to the top. They explore how they can and make the bubbles in the bottom overflow and pour down the side, using positional language appropriately to describe their actions. Children discuss independently whether a rock placed on the top of the cylinder could trap the bubbles, demonstrating their critical thinking skills.

p.5

who attend

Children engage in many messy play activities as they develop their sensory and creative skills. In the pre-school room children have continuous access to collage materials and paints which they access independently as they express their unique creativity. However, the displays in the room do not celebrate this individual art, as wall displays are very adult-led. This means opportunities for children to revisit and take pride in their work are not yet robust. Older children confidently use a computer to support their learning. For example, they use the arrow keys proficiently to move a dragon to the correct sequence of numbers, as they recognise numerals on the screen. Older children learn about living things as they care for the nursery chicken who lives in a coop in the pre-school garden. Similarly, younger children learn to respect and be kind to 'Alfie', the nursery guinea pig, who is housed in the toddler room. Staff teach children about road safety and their local

p.5

who attend

community as they walk to the local park to enhance their physical development.

p.5

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

During the gradual settling-in process staff gather detailed information about children's individual needs and their personal preferences. This enables staff to respect children's home routines and aid continuity of care, supporting the formation of a secure attachment. Consequently, children are happy and well settled in the nursery. Children are safe in their knowledge that staff meet their needs and give them emotional security which supports them in their well-being. Staff praise children for their effort and this enhances children's self-worth and boosts their confidence. Children behave well because staff set high expectations and are consistent in their approach. Gentle reminders help children to modify their actions and respect their peers and resources. Consequently, children are confident and sociable as they play well together, sharing ideas about their play. This means that children are well prepared for their next steps in learning as they

p.5

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

The nursery provides a wealth of high quality resources that create a warm and stimulating learning environment. Many of these are at low level, and well displayed, which means children access them independently as they make choices about their learning. The ground floor playrooms are open plan, which enables babies and toddlers to be familiar. This helps support children when they move through the nursery as they are aware of the surroundings and staff are already familiar. Children are supported by their key person as they move into new rooms in the nursery, to ensure the transition is smooth. Staff share information about care needs and individual development to aid continuity for children as they gradually form new attachments. Children are supported in their move onto school. This is because, teachers are invited to come and spend time with children in the nursery and share information with their key person. Children are

p.5

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

encouraged to talk about their school visits to enhance their self-esteem and to support their emotional development.

p.6

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

Each of the three playrooms has its own dedicated outdoor play area which means that resources can be targeted at meeting children's needs, while ensuring sufficient challenge. For example, in the pre-school garden children run and ride pedal bikes as they learn to negotiate around objects whilst traveling at speed. Children learn to take acceptable risks as they climb independently on the climbing frame. In the garden that is used by two year old children, they hide in willow dens and enjoy the challenge of learning to propel wheeled toys with their feet. A small enclosed garden area is freely accessible to babies through continuous provision enabling them to make independent choices and access fresh air daily. However, there is scope for this outdoor area to be made more appealing in order to enhance opportunities for sensory development and baby's engagement with the natural world.

p.6

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

Children's health and well-being is well promoted by staff as they ensure children eat meals that are healthy and meet their individual needs. For example, children's weaning preferences and cultural requirements are catered for to respect family requirements. The nursery provides meals that are nutritious and freshly cooked on the premises. The kitchen has been awarded the highest grading of five stars by local authority inspectors. Children are encouraged to eat fruit at snack time as they make healthy choices about their food. Staff sit with children to encourage the youngest with their self-help skills and use mealtimes as a social occasion to discuss the events of the day. Older children foster their independence as they help give out cups, pour their own drinks and serve their side salad to add to their lasagne. Children are encouraged to drink water or milk at mealtimes, and they freely access drinking water during play. Children show respect for their peers

p.6

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

and an understanding of the nursery rules, as they explain 'we have to wait for our friends to sit down, before we start to eat'.

p.6

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

Staff ensure that children's individual dietary requirements are met, as each child has a place mat at the dinner table that displays their photograph and a clear description of their unique needs. For example, comments include, Halal only, no fish or vegetarian and staff are vigilant and attentive to these requirements. Staff also meet children's individual needs by enabling meals to be brought in from home to support continuity. Individual medical needs are clearly displayed, such as, a child with an allergy to penicillin and children who use inhalers, which ensures their health is well promoted. Staff follow hygienic procedures when changing individual children, wearing plastic gloves and aprons to minimise risks of cross-infection. Children are encouraged to wash their hands at appropriate times, and put on their own coats prior to going out to play to encourage their self-care.

p.6

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

The premises are well maintained and staff use risk assessments and daily checks to remove hazards and ensure the environment is safe for children to explore. A fingerprint recognition key pad means staff can enter the premises but other visitors cannot gain access without the knowledge of the manager or staff. Staff ensure children take part in regular emergency evacuation procedures. These are carried out every two months on different days and at different times to ensure all children participate and know the procedure to follow to keep safe.

p.6

provision

This early inspection was as a result of previous actions being raised in relation to the nursery's safeguarding policy. These were regarding staff recruitment processes and procedures for reporting child protection. The manager of the nursery has completed all necessary actions to ensure that it fully complies with the statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements. For example, staff have a secure knowledge of child protection and the manager has ensured procedures include referrals to the Local Area Safeguarding Board in the event of an allegation against a member of staff. Policies and procedures are implemented to ensure the safeguarding and welfare of children, including a policy relating to the use of cameras and mobile phones in the nursery. Recruitment and vetting procedures are sound as the manager establishes whether adults are suitable to work with children, such as Disclosure and Barring checks. The manager has also drafted a staff

p.7

provision

disclosure form to recheck staff's suitability to work with children on an annual basis. This ensures that all staff are fully aware of their responsibility and that children are cared for by adults who are suitable and well qualified. Staff induction procedures support understanding of roles and responsibilities, and trial periods enable managers to mentor and monitor staff performance. Ongoing peer observations ensure managers support staff training and monitor the quality of teaching and interaction with children. Annual appraisal support management in targeting professional development. Many of the staff team are currently undertaking further study, which demonstrates a desire to improve their own skills and enhance the provision they provide. Staff cascade training information to colleagues by modelling good practice and through discussions during staff meetings.

p.7

provision

Staff are included in the nursery self-evaluation process which ensures their views are valued and supported. The new manager has taken ownership of the self-evaluation process and has highlighted and actioned additional areas to improve the provision. For example, individual sheets for children to sleep on are now stored in named bags to aid recognition and reduce risks of cross-infection. She has a clear vision for the future with clear targets to drive improvement that are both realistic and achievable. Staff use effective risk assessments to minimise potential hazards and talk to children about keeping themselves safe. Consequently, children use the hand rail when they walk down the stairs to access the nursery garden.

p.7

provision

Staff regularly monitor children's progress in all areas of learning. The manager understands the learning and development requirements well and tracks children's development within the education programmes. This ensures she has a clear understanding of the progress of individual children and different groups, and is able to highlight any falling behind their peers. This is used as a tool to share children's progress with parents and local authority schools to support future learning. It also enables staff to engage in effective early intervention through referrals to outside agencies for appropriate support. This ensures children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or English as an additional language receive individual support to make the best progress in their learning.

p.7

provision

Staff engage well with parents and support them with ideas to support their children's learning through effective wall displays that show images of children engaged in activities. Clear explanations of learning intentions and the role of the adult help give parents, students and new staff members ideas and support. Parents contribute ideas, expertise and regularly share their children's interests from home with staff. Questionnaires are used to gather parent's views and regular newsletters keep them informed of events in the nursery. Parents comment very positively about the service the nursery provides. For example, when talking about their children's experiences in the nursery their comments include, 'You have provided wonderful opportunities'. Parents state that the nursery staff are kind and approachable and that they are very supportive. For example, parents write 'Thank you for giving me peace of mind that my son has been really well cared for'.

p.8

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

p.8

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

Setting details

Unique reference number 508032 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 911949

p.10

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 67 Name of provider Channings Childcare Ltd Date of previous inspection 20/03/2012 Telephone number 0161 622 1165

p.10

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.

p.10

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.11

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,

p.11

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’.

p.12

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.12