Hornsey Lane Estate Community Association

Hornsey Lane Estate Community Association Community Centre, Hornsey Lane Estate, LONDON, N19 3YJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/12/2013 23/04/2012

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early years provision

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

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This provision requires improvement

 Children in the nursery show interest in the activities on offer. Staff engage children in conversation during their play, making good use of talk to encourage children's communication skills.  Children in both the nursery and after school club feel safe and happy. Staff have a caring approach and an awareness of children's individual care needs. This results in children enjoying relaxed play environments.  The centre manager monitors both settings closely and takes action to improve when necessary. The recently appointed development worker for the nursery has set relevant targets for the future.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff in the nursery do not plan well for children's learning and this results in very few adult-led activities taking place to support and extend children in their learning.  Staff in the nursery do not make good use of the daily routine, or the play space available, to provide a wide range of play and learning experiences for children.  Staff in the nursery do not make good use of mealtimes to encourage children's personal independence.  The staff in the nursery do not have a system in place to ensure that children continue to have a key carer when their own key person is on long-term absence.  The nursery does not make all documents relating to children's learning available to parents, or inspectors, at all times.

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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 children taking part in a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children arriving after school as they began to explore activities in the after school club.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled the centre's documentation, with a particular focus on the safeguarding of children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled the documentation relating to children's learning and progress in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with staff, the centre's development worker and the centre manager.

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Information about the setting

Hornsey Lane Estate Community Centre re-registered in 2011 after opening in 1986. The centre comprises a day nursery and an after school club. It operates from a purpose-built building in Hornsey in the London Borough of Islington. The centre is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Children in the nursery have the use of an indoor play room, with a linked conservatory, and a secure outdoor play area. The nursery is open from 8.30am until 5.30pm every weekday during term time. Currently there are 25 children on roll in the early years age group. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four.

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Information about the setting

The centre employs five staff to work in the nursery. All staff hold relevant early years qualifications. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are learning English as an additional language. The after school club is open from 3.30pm to 6pm during term time. Children have the use of a hall and supervised access to a nearby outdoor play area. Staff also run play schemes during school holidays. Currently there are four children in the early years age group who attend the club.

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must:

 ensure that all documents relating to children's learning in the nursery are accessible and available at all times.

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must:

 put in place an effective system of cover, in the nursery, to ensure that all children have a key person assigned to them when their own key person is on long-term absence.

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must:

 implement each area of learning and development, in the nursery, through a suitable mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities so that children take part in planned purposeful play.

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

 review the daily routine and deployment of staff in the nursery in order to make better use of the available space, and time, to provide children with a wider range of activities in more varied play situations.

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

 make better use of meal times in the nursery to encourage children to become more independent and to eat well.

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who attend

The nursery is not fully effective in meeting the learning needs of children in the setting. The after school club is effective in meeting the needs of children who attend. In the nursery children enjoy their play. They show interest in the various activities on offer, especially the opportunities to take part in imaginative play. Staff support children as they play and explore. For instance, they join children in the 'home corner' when they are pretending to prepare meals or talk with children while they are investigating toy vehicles.

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who attend

Staff enhance children's play experiences through their interaction and this contributes to children's overall enjoyment. Additionally, staff offer assistance when needed; for example, they help children to spread glue and find shiny bits to stick on their paper shapes when making decorations. Children gain self-confidence and are happy to explore independently at times, often becoming absorbed in their play. At other times children work together; for example, when using a set of wooden blocks they construct large models. In this way they learn to take the role of a leader or to follow another's lead, and thereby discover the benefits of teamwork. Nursery staff are skilled at talking with children and helping them to develop good communication skills. They actively engage children in conversation and respond with interest when children initiate a conversation. In this way they help children to explore the

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who attend

use of spoken language and find different ways to express themselves. Children become confident talkers and happily converse with staff, and visitors, while they play. Children enjoy sharing books spontaneously with each other and with adults. Staff take opportunities while children are involved in play to encourage their awareness of mathematical concepts, such as size, shape and pattern, for instance, when completing a jigsaw puzzle or building a model.

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who attend

However, nursery staff do not make full use of the time available during the day, or the available space in the setting, to provide children with a wide variety of play activities and learning experiences. The new conservatory is not used effectively as an alternative learning area and the choice of activities in the outdoor area is a little limited. The daily routine is somewhat inflexible and results in children often being kept waiting; for example, they wait to go outdoors, to have lunch and to move on to other activities after lunch. This results in children becoming bored and a little aimless as they are unable to use this time for purposeful play and learning. Staff do not include interesting group times during the day; for example, to encourage and extend children's interest in books, stories and songs to prepare them well for their eventual move to school.

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who attend

Nursery staff have an effective system of observational assessment in place to help them assess children's progress in learning. They start observing children as soon as they begin to attend nursery so that they have a baseline from which to work. Regular observations are then carried out and these are collected into attractive learning files, which provide a clear visual record of children's progress over time. Staff get to know their key children well and note their next steps in learning in order to include these in their future planning. However, children's learning files are not kept up to date when their key persons are absent and, at present, there is no effective planning in place. Therefore staff are unable to move children on effectively in their learning. As a result children are mostly involved in free play throughout the day. There are very few planned adult-directed activities taking

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who attend

place. Therefore, staff are not providing the opportunity for children to engage in focused learning experiences which help to extend their skills according to their individual developmental needs.

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who attend

Staff in the after school club organise a variety of interesting activities for children. There is a weekly plan on display so that children know what is on offer each day. The club's plans include a variety of creative activities on particular themes, such as painting large cut-out figures to create a winter scene. There is a wide selection of resources which are suitable for children of differing ages and abilities and these include box games, computer games and imaginative play equipment. Children are keen to join in an activity and quickly find something of interest. Staff explain clearly how to participate in the creative activities; for instance, they show children how to use the tools and materials to decorate the Christmas baubles. Staff record observations of children in the early years age group so that they can make the most of opportunities to support them in developing their skills. They interact effectively with children during their play, talking with them and helping

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

Children in the nursery and after school club are well looked after and show a sense of belonging. They play happily and have good relationships with adults and other children in their groups. They enjoy mixing with friends and benefit from coming together at mealtimes when they can eat and talk together.

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

Nursery staff encourage children to adopt healthy lifestyles by offering healthy foods and plenty of opportunities to play outdoors. Children especially enjoy playing in the re- designed outdoor area with its new equipment and safety surface. They have fun taking part in different physical activities, such as riding tricycles, climbing and sliding on the large play equipment and jumping on the trampoline. These activities help children to develop good coordination as well as keeping them fit. Staff are attentive to matters of hygiene and encourage children to be aware of good hygiene practices, such as hand washing. The centre's menu includes a variety of healthy meals and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. Children have access to drinking water during the day and pour drinks for themselves as required.

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

Lunch times in the nursery are not well organised. Staff tend to supervise children, serving them individually and moving around to check on them, rather than supporting them in their own small groups. As a result, children are not always encouraged to try different foods or to eat well. Neither are they encouraged to develop independence by learning to respond to their own personal needs, for example, by serving themselves a portion of food and tidying away afterwards. Consequently, lunchtimes are too long and children become fidgety, wanting to move on to something else where their time can be used more productively.

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

Children feel safe and content in the nursery. If members of staff are absent the centre does its best to provide cover staff who are known to the setting so that children are not adversely affected. This helps children to continue to feel emotionally secure. All staff are attentive and responsive to children and consequently children's care needs are met appropriately. All staff are gentle and caring in their approach. They maintain a calm atmosphere and intervene when necessary to encourage responsible behaviour. Children are aware of their boundaries and respond positively to staff's instructions. They learn to take turns with others and show respect for others' needs.

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

Nursery staff provide opportunities for children to learn more about their community and the wider world. They show children how to grow and care for different plants so that they learn more about the natural world. Children explore different materials, such as sand, water and cornflour. Children particularly enjoy dressing up in clothes that represent different cultures. They learn about each other's differing cultural backgrounds, for example, when taking part in organised activities for Black History Month. Staff are aware of particular learning needs of individual children, for example, those who are learning English as an additional language are well supported. Staff spend extra time with them helping them to enjoy the play activities on offer.

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

Staff in the after school club are very well organised and maintain a quiet, busy atmosphere. Children are well behaved and attentive to adults. They enjoy a choice of healthy foods at tea-time and move quietly away when finished to choose a play activity. They move carefully around the hall as they make their choices. They are confident and talkative, and enjoy the relaxed environment. Staff take groups of children to use the nearby adventure equipment, when weather permits, so that they have the opportunity for outdoor play. When outdoors staff maintain telephone contact with the centre for reasons of security. Children display a positive attitude to staff and show respect for others.

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provision

The centre has a set of written policies and procedures that cover both the nursery and after school club, showing the provider understands responsibilities for implementing the Early Years Foundation Stage. These policies are at present being reviewed and updated. The after school club has the updated policies on display so that parents are fully aware of them. In the nursery these updated policies are just being introduced. The centre ensures that all staff who work in the setting undergo the necessary checks regarding their suitability to work with children.

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provision

The centre has effective procedures in place to promote the safeguarding of all children using the nursery and after school club. Staff carry out regular risk assessments and safety checks to ensure that the premises continue to be safe for children. Staff are well trained in safeguarding and know what to do if they have any concerns relating to child protection. All records relating to children's health and safety are well maintained. Staff ensure that children are well supervised at all times, for example, when using the toilet area or outdoor equipment.

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provision

Staff in the nursery work in partnership with parents and other early years professionals. They liaise closely with parents to find out about children's interests and needs. They hold regular meetings for staff and parents to take part in discussions together. This enables staff to take account of parents' views when evaluating their practice. There is information on display about the Early Years Foundation Stage and additional notes on how children learn through play in different situations. This information helps parents to be aware of how they can support children at home. Parents receive regular feedback on their children's progress. Staff's reports on children's progress at two years old are particularly helpful for parents, as these include details of children's achievements as well as future targets. The nursery staff work closely with other professionals to support children who have been identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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provision

Staff in the nursery are effective in moving around the setting so that they can ensure children are safe and happy wherever they are playing, although they do not always open up the different play areas to children. The nursery manager has recently completed a degree course and has introduced regular supervisions and appraisals for staff. In this way staff can be encouraged to pursue extra training towards their own professional development. However recently there have been some difficulties regarding staffing as two of the long-term members of staff have been absent for some time. Despite staff's best attempts to provide continuity of care and learning for children, one group of children has not had the benefit of a key carer to keep their learning files up to date this term. Additionally, another set of learning files are inaccessible when the manager is absent, whether her absence is planned or unplanned, as she has the only key to the filing

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provision

cabinet. This is a breach of requirements.

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provision

The nursery manager encourages staff to reflect on their provision for children and to contribute to a written self-evaluation of the setting. This is continually revised and updated. Since the previous inspection there have been notable structural changes to the premises. These include the addition of a conservatory, the re-development of the outdoor area and the extension of the toilet facilities. However the nursery's current written self- evaluation does not reflect staff's current practice. The centre manager has observed weaknesses in the nursery provision and has recently appointed a development worker to support staff in improving their practice. The development worker has spent time observing in the nursery and is fully aware of current weaknesses. She is about to implement an action plan to improve the outcomes for children in the nursery. In this way she is supporting nursery staff in maintaining a capacity for continual improvement.

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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 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 EY421775 Local authority Islington Inspection number 942610

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 1 - 8 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 25 Name of provider Hornsey Lane Estate Community Association Date of previous inspection 23/04/2012 Telephone number 02072725938

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

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

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