Fennies Addiscombe Road

Fennies 92 Addiscombe Road, CROYDON, CR0 5PP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/10/2013 17/04/2013

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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 new leadership team are strong, united, proactive and successful in driving improvement.  Provision for children aged under two years is good in all aspects. This group of children make good progress in all areas of learning and development.  Children are well supported by staff to develop independence skills and in settling-into nursery life.  Staff plan and provide a good range of activities and resources to encourage children to explore and experiment using their senses, and to develop writing skills.  The nursery's strong partnership with parents contributes towards the rapidly improving outcomes for all children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The effectiveness of staff's use of observation and assessment and the quality of their planning for individual children aged over two years is not consistently good across the nursery.  The setting is not well equipped with resources to support children in learning to use information and communication technology.  Staff's knowledge and understanding of how best to support children learning English as an additional or dual language is not fully developed.

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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

 Two inspectors carried out this inspection. They observed children's play and the quality of teaching practice in all group rooms and during outdoor play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors held meetings with the director of childcare services, the manager and deputy.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors spoke to a number of parents and member of the parent partnership committee taking account of their views.

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Inspection activities

 One of the inspectors carried out a joint observation of children engaged in a cooking activity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors sampled a range of records and documentation relating to safeguarding policy and practice, staff suitability and children's progress and development.

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Information about the setting

Fennies is one of five nurseries owned by Fennies Day Nurseries Ltd. It is situated on a main road in Addiscombe, within the London borough of Croydon. It operates from a large detached converted house with an enclosed area to the rear of the property for outside play and parking facilities to the front of the nursery. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am until 7pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Children are cared for in one of seven playrooms; there are two baby rooms, three toddler rooms and two pre-school rooms. There are currently 163 children on roll. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. The nursery supports children learning English as an additional language and children with special education needs and/or disabilities. There are currently 31 staff employed to work

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Information about the setting

with the children; 14 are qualified to Level 3; six to Level 2; 10 are unqualified staff, and seven of these are working towards achieving a level 2. The manager has a foundation degree in early years and one staff member is working towards achieving a degree.

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

 develop further staff's skills in using observation and assessment to inform and guide planning, in particular to engage older children in more deeper learning experiences that link with their interests

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

 strengthen the programme for understanding the world further by equipping the base rooms for children age over two with technology equipment to support all areas of learning in readiness for school

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

 develop staff's knowledge and understanding further of best practice for supporting children learning English as an additional or dual language.

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who attend

Staff are all secure in their knowledge and understanding of the areas of learning and how children develop through play and practical experiences. Planning and resources across the nursery to support children's creativity, imagination and writing skills are good. However, children's progress in developing skills for using information and communication and technology are hindered by a lack of equipment. Although a new system for carrying out and using observation and assessment to better inform and guide planning is currently bring trialled, this is in the early stages. Most staff complete precise assessments, including the progress check for children age two years. Gaps in achievement are identified and targeted so that children receive the necessary early intervention in preparation for school. Although rapidly improving, teaching practice is not, at this stage, rooted in enough expertise to secure consistently good outcomes for children across the

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who attend

Staff recognise the importance of promoting children's communication and language skills. They engage children in conversations. For example, they introduce children to new words to describe the consistency of cooking ingredients as it changes with mixing. Children learning English as an additional language are sufficiently supported by staff to progress in their communication and language in English. However, staff lack knowledge and understanding of the importance of supporting children's home language so they become competently bilingual. The languages spoken by children in their homes are not promoted enough by all staff within the nursery. The eldest children have good pencil control and are able to write their name clearly. However, although staff often read children rhyming books less attention is given to promoting letters and sounds. Children visit the book areas frequently and enjoy telling themselves the story by interpreting the pictures. They are

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who attend

sometimes less attentive though during group story times because distractions in rooms are not always removed.

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who attend

The progress of babies and toddlers is particularly well supported by staff who focus much of their planning on sensory and imaginative play. For example, they have great fun getting messy with sticky substances, such as snowflakes mixed with paint and colourful media. Staff model pretend play very well and children copy this. For example, very young toddlers pretend to eat a toy piece of fruit without touching it with their mouth. They also use toy aubergines and bananas as a jug to pour milk for staff during playful engagements. Two-year-olds act out their real experiences in the well-equipped home- corners. Babies discover weight, size and shape as they handle everyday objects presented in treasure baskets. Outdoors, they delight in discovering themselves in the wall mirrors, make marks on chalkboards and playing see-saw with attentive staff.

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who attend

Children enjoy welcoming visitors, such as animal experts who bring small animals, creatures and reptiles for the children to observe and handle. Staff take children on local trips to help them understand their immediate world. Preschool age children produce amazing self-interpretations and still-life pictures and paintings. They organise their own large group games where they combine what they know and understand about the world showing good imagination. Staff observe and note children's interest in a particular play theme, such as being workmen digging up the road and finding water. They use this information to inform future planning, such as gardening activities. However, opportunities to engage children in much deeper learning, such as about what finding water might mean and helping children to create a more realistic roadwork scene, are missed.

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

Children are very well supported to settle into nursery life through a gradual parent-child separation process. This begins with parents visiting with children for play sessions. Room leaders communicate closely with parents to gain understanding of children's individual needs and observe children's interactions with staff. Using this information room leaders link children to an individual member of staff who becomes their key-person. There are clear procedures in place for supporting children through change, such as moving from baby room to toddlers, or for leaving nursery to start school. For instance, children visit their prospective new room a number of times, initially with their key-person, before moving permanently. The success of these well thought through procedures is demonstrated by how quickly children develop a strong sense of belonging in the nursery. Children happily wave goodbye to parents because they are keen to engage in activities

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

with staff and their friends. Relationships between staff and babies are excellent and clearly evident by the lovely eye contact between them during playful interactions and nappy changing.

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

Children are cared for in a well maintained welcoming and, overall, well equipped environment, that is safe and of a suitable temperature. Babies move freely around confidently practising their developing mobility and exploring all the exciting activities. Staff communicate closely with parents about young babies care needs, for example so that sleep times are consistent with their home routines. Staff successfully help children to develop independence skills. Babies are encouraged to use their hands to feed themselves. Toddlers' competent use of cutlery is helped by staffs planning of activities, such as cooking and messy play whereby children use spoons to transfer ingredients. Older children lay the dinner table, pour their own drinks and serve their own meal portions. They initiate and engage in delightful conversations, for instance about their birthday experiences, during mealtimes. The foundations for children to adopt healthy and

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

active lifestyle habits are being firmly laid by staff. Children enjoy taking part in physical activity, such as dancing, parachute games, riding bikes and scooters and climbing. Staff promote healthy eating within role-play such as cooking vegetables in the home-corner or selling food in a play shop. Children enjoy a healthy breakfast, mid-morning and mid- afternoon snacks, and a well-balanced lunch and tea. The nursery has a number of children with various special dietary needs, the details of which are clearly obtained from parents. In the past there has been incidents whereby children have been accidentally given food that they should not have. Management have worked closely with parents to strengthen procedures to help prevent this happening again.

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

Staff are gentle and kind in their interactions with children. Babies mimic this by giving each other toys and gently stroking each other's faces. Many of the older children have been attending together since they were babies and their well-established friendships are heart-warming. They negotiate roles and rules for their imaginative play and are encouraged by staff to use a sand-timer to ensure fair turn-taking. Staff use a range of strategies to teach children how to keep themselves safe. For example, children enjoy taking on the role of 'health and safety inspector', using clipboards and pictorial check lists. They show understanding of risk assessment as they pick up toys because 'you might trip over them' Staff reinforce fire safety rules during the regular evacuation practice and teach children road safety and about stranger danger when they go on outings.

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provision

Since the last inspection the nursery has been through a period of managerial instability. However, there is now a new, experienced and highly qualified management team in place. Leadership is strong and effective. They use their secure knowledge and understanding of the statutory requirements to monitor the nursery's overall effectiveness in meeting children's welfare and learning and development needs well. They show good awareness of the nursery's strengths and weaknesses and are united, proactive and successful in their drive for improvement. For example, substantial funding has been secured which means that management are now in a position to purchase a range of equipment to support children in gaining skills in using information and communication technology; so that they are better prepared for school. An improved system for using observation and assessment to better inform planning is being trialled. The staff team,

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provision

many of whom are new, show strong commitment to strengthening their practice. Staff morale is good. Staff say they enjoy coming to work. They speak positively and enthusiastically about management, giving examples of how well they listen to their views, ideas and requests. For example, new storage systems requested on a Friday were in place on Monday. A back-up key-person system has been introduced to ensure there is always a member of staff on duty who knows and fully understands children's individual health and emotional needs.

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provision

Since September all staff have had a one to one performance review. They now have a professional development plan in place which is monitored through regular one to one supervision and yearly appraisal. Management carry out regular observations and evaluations of teaching practice to identify training needs and to update improvement plans. The organisation have introduced three in-service training days per year. This enables them to plan and tailor training, such as for supporting children learning English as an additional language. In addition staff have access to external training workshops and are supported to achieve higher level qualifications. Room leaders are supported to achieve leadership skills, such as in mentoring and coaching. Since the last inspection a parent partnership committee has been established. The committee meets monthly with the director of childcare and works closely with management to identify and target

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provision

possible concerns and priorities for improvement.

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provision

Management follow rigorous recruitment procedures. These include initiating a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check on staff immediately following a successful interview. Two references are obtained and thoroughly checked before staff start working with the children. Very occasionally staff start work before their DBS check is back, but there are stringent procedures in place to prevent them being alone with children. There are clear and well implemented procedures for monitoring the ongoing suitability of staff through the supervision and appraisal process and for managing any underperformance. The induction procedure covers all the nursery safeguarding policies, such as for 'whistleblowing', use of mobile phones, cameras and social networking sites. The importance of confidentiality, for instance when staff engage in a private babysitting arrangements, is very well explained to both staff and parents. All staff complete Level 1

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provision

and 2 child protection training. They fully understand the nursery's procedure for monitoring, and acting on any concerns about children's welfare. Room leaders and management complete Level 3 child protection training. There are clear and well understood procedures in place for dealing with allegations against staff. High priority is given to using risk assessment to minimise incidents, such as a missing child, and accidents. Security measures help to keep children safe. A good number of staff have a valid paediatric first aid qualification and management are striving to have all staff qualified. Management use newsletters and staff meetings to remind parents and staff about safety issues, such as for maintaining good internal and external door security. Minimum adult to child ratios are often exceeded and staff are deployed well to help ensure children are well supervised and supported in their play.

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provision

Parents, like staff, report that improvement has been rapid since September. They highlight the new ethos for transparency within leadership as reassuring. Staff actively encourage parental involvement in children's learning. For example, they are given recipes to make play-dough with children at home. The wonderful display boards and evening social events organised give them further ideas for home activities and help parents understand how and what children learn through play. Parents are kept informed about children's progress through twice yearly summary reports and parent consultation evenings. Regular newsletters provide information about operational matters, such as staff changes and safety issues, as well as special activities. Parents appreciate the thoughtful gestures, such as the fruit and breakfast bars freely offered to them in the mornings. New parents are impressed by the way that children are helped to settle in and by the strategy

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provision

used for identifying a key-person for their child.

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provision

Roles and responsibilities within the nursery are clearly defined and allocated to the best fit member of staff. The effectiveness of this is demonstrated by the role of the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) who initiates securing external support for children, for instance in speech and language, before they start school. Management show strong commitment to working in partnership with external agencies and professionals, such as the speech and language therapists. They make a concerted effort to liaise with all schools children are due to transfer to before they start. The purpose of this is to help ensure children's individual needs are known and understood.

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provision

Overall, this is a good provision. New management have only been in place since the beginning of September. They are astutely aware of the gaps in provision for children's learning and development and are targeting this very sensibly to ensure sustained 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 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 EY376233 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 952119 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 104 Number of children on roll 163 Name of provider Fennies Day Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 17/04/2013 Telephone number 0208 6546011

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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

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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