Tiny Tugs Medway Trust Day Nursery

Tiny Tugs Medway Trust Day Nursery Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5NY

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/12/2013 21/09/2010

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 settled in the nursery and have good relationships with staff who know them well and meet their needs effectively.  Children have access to well-resourced, interesting play areas, with opportunities for children to enjoy a wide variety of stimulating experiences that help them make good progress in their learning.  Staff place high priority on children's safety. They have good knowledge of how to protect children from harm and implement this well into their practice.  The management team and staff value and engage in the self-evaluation process and set realistic goals for development, in order to improve outcomes for children.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff provide some creative materials on shelves for children to select for themselves however there is not always space created for children to use these.  There is a dedicated area created for children to use writing materials to make marks and practice their early writing skills. However there are fewer opportunities for children to make marks for meaningful reasons around the nursery, such as during role play.

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 taking part in activities and during meals.  The inspector had meetings with the Deputy Manager and named person.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled records including children's files, planning, self-evaluations and improvement plans and staff suitability records and policies.  The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views.

p.2

Information about the setting

Tiny Tugs, Medway Trust Day Nursery opened in 2003. It operates from three main play rooms in a purpose built nursery building at Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham, Kent. The nursery opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm. Care is provided for children of staff working on the hospital premises and is available to children from the wider community. Children attend a variety of sessions and staff can be flexible to cover shift patterns. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 86 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four. They also support children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. All staff hold an early years qualification to National Vocational

p.3

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

 review the range of resources available each day in the pre-school room that enable children to freely develop their creativity

p.3

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

 strengthen opportunities for children to practice early writing skills in a range of play situations.

p.3

who attend

Children enjoy their time in the nursery and have good opportunities to play and learn. Staff provide an inviting learning environment with a range of resources and activities that overall meet the interests and needs of all children. Staff use their knowledge and teaching skills to help children develop their ideas and to teach them how to play cooperatively, take turns and share with their friends. Staff praise children's efforts and this promotes their self-esteem. This helps children to make progress in their learning and their personal, social and emotional development, all developing their skills for future learning.

p.3

who attend

Staff meet with parents before children start in the nursery. They gain information from them about their children's care and learning needs which they use to inform care routines and as starting points for planning. Staff develop good relationships with new children and this helps them with their move into nursery. Staff operate an effective key person system. The key person works with children to help them settle and learn. During each play session, the key person makes some observations of the children and uses these to assess children's capabilities. Well qualified staff demonstrate a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and this helps them to plan and provide exciting and interesting activities that support children in their development and learning. For example, children investigate their outside surroundings, exploring and collecting fallen branches and twigs to make dens. All children enjoy playing in the outside area. They develop their

p.3

who attend

muscles as the run and climb and they explore and investigate in the natural environment. The nursery staff take advantage of the hospital setting to enrich children's learning experiences. Staff talk to children helping them to learn about keeping themselves safe when outside.

p.4

who attend

Staff in the baby room maintain records of children's staring points and track their progress. This ensures they are learning and making progress across all areas. The baby room offers many engaging and challenging opportunities to help young children's ongoing development, meet their interests and provide a cosy area for relaxation. Younger children confidently explore their surroundings and engage with each other. They enjoy crawling and stretching their legs to 'walk' and this help them to develop their muscle strength. They play with sensory resources, 'small people' in the doll's house and with wheeled toy. This helps them to find out about the world around them and to develop their small muscles and coordination. Experienced staff interact skilfully with children and support them in their play, encouraging children to engage in their play for extended periods of time and therefore developing their concentration span. All staff interact with

p.4

who attend

children in a positive and friendly manner helping children to develop their language, physical and social skills. Staff provide greater challenge to the older toddlers to give them greater opportunities to explore, learn and develop further in an attached second room which has additional resources. For example, children make marks with chalk at the chalk board and play in the water tray and combine their ideas and actions by mixing their wet hands with the chalk markings. Children are captivated as they make hand and finger prints in the wet chalk and are fascinated to observe the changes. Staff extend children's explorations by asking challenging questions and helping children to express their ideas.

p.4

who attend

Staff in the pre-school rooms continue to maintain the good teaching practices, which are embedded across the nursery. Staff meet with parents to discuss their children and to find out about their interests and fascinations. Staff use knowledge of the children and transfer records to plan activities to move children forward in their learning. Staff observe and monitor children's progress to make sure they continue to learn. In the pre-school rooms children have space to play and explore and a good range of resources, which help children to develop skills and understanding in all areas of their learning. The sand and water areas help children to explore textures and develop their ideas and concepts. They explore water pouring and tipping it into different sized containers. Children pile sand into heaps to make hills and barriers in their play and scoop the sand into containers. This helps develop their mathematical ideas and language around size, shape and

p.4

who attend

The book area provides good opportunities for staff to read with children, to help children learn new vocabulary and to develop their early reading skills. Children enjoy sharing books with friends or sitting quietly turning the pages and looking at the illustrations. Children engage in imaginative role play and mark making activities and they enjoy these. However resources for children to make meaningful marks are not accessible in all areas of the pre-school rooms. For example, there is limited pencils and paper available in the role play area for children to use, such as to make lists during imaginative play. Children enjoy using their imaginations and thinking skills when planning and making models in the well-resourced construction and small world play area; they build and construct while developing and strengthening their concept of shape and space. Children enjoy using creative resources to make and design, paint, cut and stick. However, although children

p.4

who attend

can choose the paint they want to use from a shelf there was no space readily available in the area for them to do their painting on. This limits the choices children make for themselves.

p.5

who attend

Parents are offered the opportunity to discuss their child's progress. Staff organise review meetings and provide parents with a summary of their children's progress. This means that there is continuity of care and learning between parents and staff.

p.5

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

The key person system is effective. Staff are kind, attentive and form very good relationships with children and families. This results in children forming close bonds and attachment with the staff. Staff meet and greet parents and children on arrival into the nursery. In the morning breakfast is available to children and their parents and staff help children to settle and to eat their food alongside them. Parents speak highly of the welcoming and friendly environment and are confident their children will be happy throughout the day. A parent commented 'My child loves coming here, she never cries and I know she is happy' and this helps reassure parents that their children will be fine and their needs will be met.

p.5

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

Staff care for children effectively with a high priority given to their safety and well-being. Staff help children to rest or sleep by providing a calm, comfortable environment with soft music. Cots and mattresses are clean and fresh. Easy chairs and rockers are available to enable staff to rock or cuddle children to help them to feel secure. Care routines and nappy changes are managed respectfully and efficiently to ensure children's comfort. This means that staff meet children's welfare and well-being requirements well. There are good arrangements in place to help when children move from the baby and toddler room to the pre-school room. This ensures that staff can help these children to settle quickly. The current and new key Persons help this process and this allows them to become familiar with children's next steps in learning. Staff work effectively to maintain a calm learning environment for all children. Children are happy and enjoy what they are doing. They

p.5

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

behave well and play cooperatively together. Staff are good role models who offer children explanations about what behaviour is acceptable. For example, staff gently intervene when necessary to help children share toys and remind them to take turns. Staff model good manners and reinforce children's good behaviour with praise and encouragement.

p.5

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

Staff find out about children's dietary needs to ensure that these are appropriately met. The nursery staff ensure that children's receive a balanced diet. The dinner menus are displayed on the wall so parents and staff know what food will be available each day. Food is pre-ordered and arrives ready prepared for staff to distribute. Children's special orders arrive in separate containers to ensure dietary requirements are met and there is no contamination of meals. Children show they are familiar with the daily routine. They happily wash their hands before sitting at the table ready for meals. Children demonstrate clear self-care skills. Staff support children to develop their independence when eating and they talk to them about foods and ask questions and encourage food talk to promote children's understanding.

p.5

provision

The managers and staff team have a good understanding of their responsibilities to meet the Statutory Requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage .The protection, welfare and safety of children are of high priority for all members of staff in this nursery. Robust safeguarding procedures, risk assessments and staff vigilance help keep children safe and secure. All staff have received training on safeguarding children and they have good knowledge of the procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child or adult. Robust recruitment and suitability procedures ensure that all employees are suitable to work with children. Staff are regularly monitored by the managers to ensure their practice is of good quality at all times. This enables the staff and managers to identify strengths and address any weaknesses in staff practice. Good systems for professional supervision are in place. There are regular staff appraisals and staff have discussions during one-to-

p.6

provision

one meetings with their line manager. This routine monitoring helps prioritise professional development, identifies the strengths and ensures priorities for improvement are identified.

p.6

provision

The nursery has strong partnerships with parents and keeps them well informed about their children's learning and day-to-day personal care routines. Information is shared through a variety of ways, including daily written feedback and conversations and staff regularly meeting to discuss progress. Clear policies and procedures are in place and shared with parents. Parents speak positively about the nursery and the work of the staff. They comment on the good relationships in place and that children are happy and settle quickly into the nursery. The nursery has good partnerships with other professionals and supporting agencies, such as speech and language therapists and the inclusion team. This enables them to support families and children, ensure children receive additional help quickly and that everyone is fully included in the nursery.

p.6

provision

The managers are effective in monitoring the nursery's implementation of the learning and development requirements to ensure all children make good progress. All staff have a committed and proactive attitude to continuous improvement. The nursery has developed an effective self-evaluation process, which effectively helps to inform their improvement planning. Risk assessments are thorough so that children are safe and secure at all times.

p.6

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.7

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

p.8

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.

p.8

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.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY266959 Local authority Medway Towns Inspection number 833287 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 86 Name of provider Medway Council Date of previous inspection 21/09/2010 Telephone number 01634 833758

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.9

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.9

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.10

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.10

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.11

Type of provision

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

p.11