Apple Blossom Day Nursery

Apple Blossom Day Nursery Apple Blossom Day Nursery, London Road, Strete Ralegh, Whimple, EXETER, EX5 2PT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/11/2013 17/08/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 3 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Management does not implement appropriate supervision arrangement of all staff who have contact with children. As a result, the quality of staff practice on children's care and learning is inconsistent.  Children are not always accompanied on outings with at least one person who holds a current paediatric first aid certificate to meet their health needs.  Staff do not store all food for children hygienically and safely to promote children's health.  Staff do not consistently make good use of the assessments and planned activities to promote children's progress. Consequently, children are not all achieving well in every area of learning, especially regarding their understanding of behaviour.  Staff do not successfully encourage all parents to contribute information about what their child can do at home, or share their child's future targets to further promote children's learning.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are forming warm and trusting relationships with staff. As a result, they explore freely and are developing independence.  Children benefit from regular active play and outdoor activities to promote their health and physical 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 observed activities and the quality of teaching in the play rooms and outdoor play area.  The inspector sampled children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the registered person/manager to assess suitability and qualifications of staff and management's knowledge and understanding of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements.  The inspector took account of the views of parents.

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Information about the setting

Apple Blossom Day Nursery registered in 2000 and is privately owned. It operates from a cabin-style building on the outskirts of the village of Whimple in Devon. Children are cared for in two play rooms. There is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play. Children attend from the local surrounding areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently fourteen children on roll in the early years age group. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.45am to 6pm, all year round, except for one week in December.

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Information about the setting

The owner manages and works in the nursery, and employs six staff. The manager holds a level 3 qualification in childcare and a level 5 qualification in management. Of the remaining staff, four hold level 3 qualifications in early years child care and education.

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must:

 ensure appropriate arrangements are implemented for the supervision of all staff who have contact with children to monitor their knowledge and understanding of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the impact of staff practice on children's care and learning

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must:

 ensure at least one person who holds a current paediatric first aid certificate accompanies children on outings.

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must:

 ensure all food for children is stored hygienically and safely

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must:

 improve the use of assessments and planned activities to promote children's next steps of learning more effectively. This especially applies to promoting children's understanding of appropriate behaviour and the consequences of their actions.

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

 encourage all parents to contribute more information about what their child can do at home, and inform them of their child's targets to help parents get more consistently involved in promoting their child's learning

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

 develop the self-evaluation system to identify and address all weaknesses in practice, and to ensure all legal requirements are met.

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who attend

Staff have suitable systems to plan and assess children's learning. They use their observations of children to prepare individual learning plans each term which identify children's next steps of learning. Staff plan activities to promote all areas of learning according to children's developmental needs. However, not all staff consistently use these activities effectively to help children progress well. As a result, not all children are making good progress in relation to their starting points. Staff provide parents with some opportunities to get involved in their child's learning. For example, staff invite parents to attend meetings twice a year to discuss their child's progress, and staff provide parents with the required progress check for two-year-olds. However, staff are not always successful in engaging all parents to contribute information about their child's learning at home. In addition, staff do not always share children's future targets with parents to help

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who attend

them promote their child's learning further. Staff interact with the children with interest and affection. Staff working with younger children provide lots of cuddles, encouragement and time for quiet play to help children feel secure and able to explore. Staff working with older children provide opportunities for them to make decisions, manage tasks for themselves and help others. These experiences help to develop children's skills for the future in readiness for school. Some staff provide children with challenge to help them progress, such as asking questions to help them learn to solve problems. For example, staff ask children 'how could you attach this?' in junk modelling. Staff ask questions to help children recall events. For example, a group of children aged three and four years play with trains. Staff ask them who has been on a train, where they went, what was it like to go through a tunnel and extend the discussion

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who attend

to ask about transport children have used and to re-call their experiences. This helps to promote children's communication and language skills.

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who attend

Staff help children develop suitable early literacy skills. Younger children look at picture books with staff to develop their vocabulary, and sing songs spontaneously as well as at group times. Staff plan activities for older children linked to changing letters of the week. For example, linked to the letter 'M', children make mountain junk models, make portraits of a staff member whose name begins with the letter and read a book about monkeys. This approach helps children to make connections in their learning and to develop an understanding of letters and sounds. Staff provide children with lots of outdoor play in the garden. Children use a range of physical play equipment and run freely and with energy. Younger children roll and throw balls and draw on the paving stones with chalks to develop their balance and co-ordination. This all encourages children to move in different ways and develop their physical skills. Staff also use the outdoor play area to explore

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who attend

natural life with children. Older children find woodlice and snails which they talk about and younger children collect grass and leaves. Some staff extend this interest to ask children about the colours and sizes of the leaves they collect. This helps to promote other aspects of children's learning in their areas of interest.

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

Children's health and safety is not secured on trips away from the nursery during their transportation to and from school. This is because staff undertaking the trips do no hold a current paediatric first aid certificate. This is a breach of a legal requirement. Otherwise, children are cared for in a safe and secure environment which staff check each day to ensure any potential hazards are removed. Staff care for children in warm and welcoming play rooms in which children choose and play with a suitable range of toys. These resources help to promote children's independent exploration.

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

Key persons work with children and their parents from the start to help settle children in and aid the move between home and the nursery. The small team of staff work in both playrooms to get to know all children and maintain younger children's care routines consistently. They greet children with warmth and re-assurance on their arrival and cuddle them when they wake from their sleep to re-assure them. Consequently, children are developing trusting relationships with the staff. Staff manage children's inappropriate behaviour acceptably through gentle verbal correction and discussion. However, staff do not consistently teach all children effectively about positive behaviour and the consequences of their actions. As a result, some children do not share well and disrupt other children's play indoors.

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

Staff do not promote all aspects of children's health appropriately. While children enjoy well-balanced meals and snacks, staff do not always store the raw foods they use to prepare children's meals safely. For example, raw meats are stored in the refrigerator above fruit and bread. This is a breach of a legal requirement. Otherwise, staff maintain a clean and hygienic environment with space for younger children to sleep peacefully. Staff also provide lots of outdoor play in all weathers. This helps to promote children's health and well-being. Staff plan a balance of organised activities with specific learning intentions as well as encouraging children to play freely and lead their own exploration from the start of the day. This allows children to make their own choices and to link up with friends to play together. For example, children seek out friends on arrival, hug one another 'hello' before racing off to play together. This helps to promote children's personal, social and

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provision

This inspection took place following concerns raised with Ofsted regarding the nursery's adult:child ratios and staff's behaviour management strategies. Also, concerns were raised about staff's knowledge of safeguarding procedures and how children's individual needs. Ofsted raised a notice to improve that asks the provider to ensure that records relating to individual children are retained for a reasonable period of time after they have left the provision. Also, to ensure that all staff are trained to understand their safeguarding policy and procedures, and ensure that they have up to date knowledge of safeguarding issues. The nursery owner took satisfactory action to address these weaknesses. However, legal requirements relating to staff qualifications, training, support and skills, as well as the provision of food are not met. This is owing to the management's ineffective knowledge of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements.

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provision

Consequently, children are not always accompanied on outings with at least one person who holds a current paediatric first aid certificate to meet their health needs. Also, management does not successfully monitor the impact of all staff's practice on children's care and development, and does not monitor the storage of children's food. The requirements of the Childcare Register are not met either.

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provision

Otherwise, management and staff have a suitable knowledge of the correct procedures to follow if they have a concern about the welfare of a child. This includes responding to any concerns about the behaviour and practices of other staff. Management follows appropriate vetting procedures to help ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Staff then undergo an induction procedure to provide them with information about the nursery's policies and procedures. Staff complete risk assessments and maintain safety measures throughout the nursery and garden to keep children safe and secure. Management maintains appropriate adult:child ratios throughout the day to ensure children are supervised and supported in all areas of the provision. Most staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to meet children's needs. This includes training in the care of babies for relevant staff working with

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provision

Management and staff have some systems to evaluate the quality of the provision, such as completing a self-evaluation form and receiving questionnaires from parents. As a result, some improvements are made to improve the outcomes for children. Otherwise, these systems are not sufficient to ensure all legal requirements are met. Partnerships with parents are sound. Staff keep parents informed appropriately through daily communications, displays and home books for children under three-year-olds. Parents share their views of the nursery and state their children settle well and benefit from the 'homely and friendly environment' with 'lots of affection from staff'. Staff also work appropriately with the other early years settings children also attend to help promote continuity of their care and education.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure at least one person who is caring for children has an appropriate first aid qualification (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure at least one person who is caring for children has an appropriate first aid qualification (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 105825 Local authority Devon Inspection number 901248 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 14 Name of provider Karen Irene Winson Date of previous inspection 17/08/2011 Telephone number 01404 822251

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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

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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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