Cheeky Monkeys Childcare

Cheeky Monkeys Childcare Abbots Vale Community Centre, Abbots Vale, BARROW-IN-FURNESS, Cumbria, LA13 9PA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/10/2013 14/01/2013

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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

 The manager and staff warmly welcome children into the nursery. This helps them to settle easily and form strong relationships with the staff who support their emotional well-being.  The stimulating and imaginative range of resources and activities provide good opportunities for children to explore and make good progress in their learning and development.  Positive partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals ensure that children receive good, consistent care in a nursery that welcomes and actively encourages parental involvement in their children's care and learning.  The manager demonstrates a strong drive to maintain continuous improvements by having clear and well-targeted plans that support children's achievements over time.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some children do not consistently have opportunities to serve their food and pour their drinks to further enhance their good independence and self-care skills.  Children's opportunities to enhance their emerging literacy and numeracy skills are not always fully promoted through the use of print displayed in the indoor and outdoor environments.

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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 activities in the three activity rooms and the outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and spoke to members of staff and children during activities.  The inspector undertook a joint observation of an activity with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's learning journals and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at operational files consisting of policies, risk assessments, accident records and staff suitability documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Cheeky Monkeys Childcare was registered in February 2010 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is a privately owned nursery situated within Abbotsvale Community Centre in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round apart from Christmas. Opening hours are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 65 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. Older children attend the out of school and holiday club. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The manager holds a qualification in management at level 4 and one member of staff holds an early years degree. Support is received from the local authority early years advisors.

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

 provide more consistent opportunities for children to prepare and serve their food and pour their drinks, to further promote the development of their independence and self-care skills

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

 enhance children's opportunities to further develop their emerging literacy and numeracy skills by, for example, extending the amount of print displayed inside and outside, such as signs, labels and numbers.

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who attend

The manager and staff have a good knowledge of how children learn and develop. They provide an imaginative range of activities to support children to make good progress in their learning and development. Initial information is gathered from parents about the children during settling-in sessions. This information helps the children's key person to assess their starting points and to shape activities to meet the children's individual learning needs. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning by looking at children's progress records and discussing their progress with their child's key person. Parents are also given suggestions of activities to complete with the children at home to support their learning. For example, they select books to take home to read with the children. This helps to ignite children's interest in books and is also an effective way of linking home and nursery together. Parents are also actively encouraged to attend

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who attend

the nursery for 'parents' play days' which enables them to take part in various activities with the children. All of these methods are highly effective in helping parents to be fully involved in their children's learning and development.

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who attend

Staff accurately assess and track children's progress and plan for the next steps in their learning. All children are making good progress towards the early learning goals, given their starting points. Staff have a good understanding about the characteristics of learning and they use effective teaching methods to promote suitable challenges to extend the children's learning. All children are well supported in acquiring good communication and language skills as they engage in conversations with the staff and their peers. The staff skilfully use props chosen by the children, such as toy telephones, to encourage children to talk. Children enjoy sitting in small groups to listen to stories being read to them by the staff. Their listening and attention skills are fully promoted during story times by the enthusiastic staff who encourage them to join in. Children of all ages also enjoy many opportunities to engage in action songs, which also support their speech and language

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who attend

Staff encourage children's early writing skills by recognising their efforts and displaying their individual work on the walls. Some children ascribe meaning to their marks as they attempt to write their names on their work. Children recognise their names as they self- register on arrival. These methods are effective in supporting children's early literacy skills. They develop skills in numeracy as they count how many cups they need at snack times and they identify shapes as they help each other to complete large floor puzzles. Children are enthusiastic, eager to learn and maintain focus for periods of time. This prepares them well for their transition to school. However, there is scope to further develop children's emerging literacy and numeracy skills. For example, the use of print in the environment, such as signs, labels and numerals, is not always used consistently to help children develop their understanding that words have real meaning.

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who attend

Children competently use computers and programmable toys, which provide them with good opportunities to develop their understanding about how technology is used for different purposes. Children help themselves to craft resources to create artwork, which is proudly displayed on the walls. They enjoy using various different objects to make marks with paints, such as sponges, leaves and cones. They also skilfully use scissors to cut out pieces of paper to decorate with feathers and pom-poms. Babies and young children particularly enjoy taking part in sensory play. The staff carefully create a quiet and calm environment to allow the children to freely explore and investigate natural objects, such as sponges, brushes, metal pans and wooden spoons. This fully supports their sensory awareness and ability to explore different textures and learn about the world around them. All of these accessible activities, together with the good level of support from the

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who attend

staff, effectively support children's enthusiasm to learn through play and to develop their creativity and imaginations.

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

Children settle well at this friendly and welcoming nursery due to the flexible settling-in methods adopted by the staff. Parents and their children's key persons develop effective ways of sharing information about children's routines and individual needs. This supports children well during their transitions from home to nursery and helps them settle happily. The good level of adult attention and warm interaction ensures that all children form positive and trusting relationships with their key person and other staff. This effectively supports the children's personal, social and emotional development. The nursery is attractively decorated with children's individual art work and photographs of the children and the staff. This helps children to feel familiar and comfortable in their surroundings, which in turn supports their emotional well-being. The children confidently select from a wide choice of stimulating resources, which are stored at low level and are easy for them

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

to reach. This enables them to become confident learners and teaches them to make choices and play independently and cooperatively alongside others. Children's behaviour is positive due to the clear boundaries and gentle guidance provided by the staff. They work closely with parents and external agencies in order to support children's behaviour through consistent methods. This helps children to feel safe at the nursery. Children are encouraged to play cooperatively and share toys, as well as help to tidy up. Children are well supported in their transitions between rooms and their transitions to school due to the close working relationships that exist between staff in the nursery and teachers at the local schools.

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

Children have frequent opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise in the outdoor play area where they develop their coordination and balance by peddling their tricycles and pushing trollies. They also enjoy constructing with large crates and exploring the shaving foam and engaging in water play. Children are developing good skills in handling equipment and tools effectively. For example, they competently use small spades to dig in the soil. These activities support the children's physical development. Staff teach the children about keeping themselves and others safe and help them to judge risks for themselves as they try new activities. For example, children enjoy learning to use scissors carefully whilst creating their art work. The children develop good self-care skills as they learn to dress in suitably warm clothing before playing outside. They also wash their hands before eating their food. Staff place a great emphasis upon the importance of a

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

healthy diet and provide well-balanced, nutritious meals and snacks. Meals contain many fresh vegetables and fruit. Staff are also very conscientious about making sure children remain hydrated throughout the day and remind them to take regular drinks. However, children are not consistently involved in preparing their snacks, serving their food and pouring their drinks. This means they do not always benefit from rich opportunities to further enhance their good self-care and independence skills.

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provision

The manager and staff have a good understanding and knowledge of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Arrangements for safeguarding children within the nursery and outdoor play areas are good. Effective risk assessments and daily safety checks inside and outside minimise hazards in order to reduce the risk of accidents to children. The security of the nursery is good and the staff are vigilant at all times. This keeps children safe by minimising the risk of intruders entering the premises.

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provision

The inspection took place following notification from the provider, of an alleged incident involving the conduct of a member of staff. It was identified that there was a slight delay in notifying agencies with statutory responsibilities as required. However, the inspection found that the manager is now clear about her responsibilities to take the necessary action, and inform the relevant authorities of significant events without delay. Staff are monitored closely and any under-performance is tackled effectively through supportive guidance and additional training in order to continually enhance their knowledge and practice. The manager ensures that all staff update their safeguarding training and have a good understanding of the policy and procedure to follow should they have concerns about children's welfare. Staff are also clear about the whistleblowing policy and procedure and the need to report any concerns to the manager without delay.

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provision

The thorough recruitment and vetting procedures undertaken by management ensures that staff are suitable and safe to work with children. Effective induction systems and ongoing support ensure that staff are clear about the policies and procedures within the nursery. Policies are reviewed regularly and staff are asked to read them and implement them consistently. Appraisals are undertaken annually to monitor the continued professional development and training needs of staff. The manager also undertakes staff supervision sessions to further support their practice and professional development. All staff undertake regular training which is tailored to their particular needs, such as safeguarding and behaviour management. All staff are trained in paediatric first aid and are therefore prepared to deal with any accidents or medical emergencies should they arise. Regular team meetings and internal training also effectively support staff well in

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provision

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager monitors the planning to ensure that a wide range of activities are provided to help children make good progress in all areas of their learning. The manager has good systems in place to monitor children's progress by sampling learning journals to oversee the quality of assessment and planning for their individual learning needs.

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provision

Very positive partnerships between staff and parents ensure that children's needs are well met. Parents spoken to express their satisfaction with the service provided. They state that the staff are friendly and approachable and that the children enjoy attending the nursery. Parents are kept well informed about their children's progress and welcome the opportunities to attend the 'stay and play' sessions and meetings throughout the year. Partnership working with external agencies and professionals, such as health visitors and speech therapists are highly effective in ensuring that children receive additional support when required. The manager undertakes a reflective and evaluative approach to the service and is committed to continuous developments. Recommendations from previous inspections are taken on board and promptly addressed. Self-evaluation takes into account the views of children, parents and staff. The manager also works closely with the local

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provision

authority advisor. This results in clear and well-targeted plans for future developments.

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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 EY404548 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 938585

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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 65 Name of provider Cheeky Monkeys Childcare Ltd Date of previous inspection 14/01/2013 Telephone number 01229827722

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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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