Bright Sparks Day NurseryOfsted inspection, 11 Dec 2013

Bright Sparks Day Nursery Rossington Childrens Centre, Grantham Street, NEW ROSSINGTON, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN11 0TA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/12/2013 31/05/2011

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early years provision

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

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This provision is inadequate

 Planned activities do not help children make strong progress because information from assessments is not consistently used to plan for next steps and lack of consideration to how the children learn means activities do not offer challenge or are differentiated to ensure the individual needs of each child are met.  Key persons to not have sufficient information about the children they are caring for and the key person system is not effective to ensure the needs of children are met when key staff are absent from the setting.  Performance management is not effective in addressing weaknesses in practice. As a result, practitioners are not fulfilling the responsibilities of their role and the quality of teaching is insufficient to promote children's good progress.  The management team are not competent in organising staff deployment and time. As a result, tasks are not prioritised and practitioners are not effectively deployed to

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This provision is inadequate

ensure the needs of children are met at all times.  Adequate vetting procedures are not completed for students. As a result, the nursery is not meeting the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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It has the following strengths

 A suitable range of resources facilitate independent exploration for older children and allow them to follow their interests.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the three playrooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the early years professional.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager of the provision and the early years professional.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, and discussed the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Bright Sparks Day Nursery was registered in 2006 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Sure Start Children's Centre in the Rossington area of Doncaster, and is managed by Rossington Miners' Welfare Scheme. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including the deputy manager who has Early Years Professional Status.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 67 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 improve the quality of teaching to ensure practitioners are using their knowledge and understanding of how children learn and taking into account their preferences for learning, to enable children to investigate independently and explore their ideas

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must:

 use observation and assessment to accurately identify children's next steps and utilise the information in planning to ensure educational programmes take account of children's skills and provide them with challenges that help them to make good progress

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must:

 develop an effective key person system, and improve the deployment of staff to ensure children's learning and care needs are sufficiently met at all times

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must:

 improve vetting procedures to ensure suitability checks are completed, and records are kept, for all students who are working in the nursery.

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

 improve performance management to ensure monitoring of practice is consistent and accurate, therefore ensuring practitioners are fulfilling their responsibilities for meeting children's learning needs.

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who attend

In general, practitioners in the nursery have a sufficient understanding of the learning and development requirements. In most instances, when children enter the nursery practitioners complete initial assessments to ascertain their starting points. Observations of children's learning are completed and information from them is used to develop individual 'play plans' that record children's interests and next steps. However, information from these individual plans is not consistently used to inform planning. This means that although practitioners use information contained in early years guidance documents to plan children's next steps based on their age, they do not take into account the skills children have already acquired. As a result, the educational programmes set for them do not challenge them and are not promoting their good progress towards the early learning goals. In addition to this, practitioners do not take account of other factors, such as

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who attend

children's different levels of concentration. For example, a group activity in the pre-school room does not take into account that the youngest or less able children cannot maintain their attention as long as the older children, so they lose interest and wander away. All practitioners in the nursery have completed early years qualifications at level 2 and above and have attended additional training, such as using sign language to support children who have difficulty communicating through spoken language. This means they have a suitable knowledge and understanding of how children learn. However, not all practitioners use their knowledge and skills effectively to implement educational programmes and promote interesting learning experiences for children. For example, during creative play in the baby room there is too much focus on not letting children get messy and as a result, children's independent explorations are inhibited. Although there

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who attend

are systems in place for evaluating the impact of activities on children's learning, they are not used effectively. This means practitioners cannot be certain whether the activities they provide offer children sufficient challenge, or support their continued progress. Nevertheless, documents used to track children's progress show that the majority of children are making steady progress in their learning and are meeting the developmental targets for their age. Parents comment they receive regular updates about children's progress through daily discussions and they are happy with the progress they are making.

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who attend

An ethos of collaborative working has yet to be developed within the nursery. The implementation of the key person system, and staff deployment, are not monitored effectively to ensure children's needs are being met at all times. There is no support structure in place to promote the learning needs of children when their key person is absent from the nursery. In addition to this, information from meetings held to discuss the learning needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the most vulnerable children, is not shared effectively with key persons. This means key practitioners do not have enough knowledge about the children they are caring for to ensure they can plan educational programmes that target their needs. In discussions with some practitioners, they demonstrate they are not knowledgeable about the children they are caring for, so they are not aware of what measures are in place to support them. As a

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who attend

result, they are not able to effectively promote children's good progress across the seven areas of learning.

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who attend

Older children can independently choose from a wide range of resources and this means they can follow their interests, develop narratives and share their ideas. Access to the large, well-equipped outdoor area extends their opportunities to explore in the natural environment. Activities in the pre-school room reflect the structure children will experience when they go to school and as a result, they are prepared when the time comes for them to move on. For example, they develop early literacy skills, such as writing their own name, and mathematical skills, such as recognising more complex shapes. Practitioners support children's communication and language development using group activities, songs and stories. Parents are encouraged to seek support from speech and language therapists and the nursery uses their advice when planning learning programmes for children. Some children who have difficulty communicating through spoken language are supported by

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who attend

staff using props and physical gestures to convey meaning. However, communications generally consist of instructions with regard to daily routines, such as dinner time or hand washing. The opportunities to engage children in conversation during play are often overlooked. Despite this, the majority of children demonstrate communication and language skills appropriate to their age and stage of development. Information about activities is shared with parents through daily discussions. Feedback about activities children have enjoyed is shared with them on a daily basis. This means parents can promote children's continuing progress at home because they are aware of the activities children enjoy when they attend the nursery. Teachers from the local schools visit the nursery to share information about children who are moving onto the next stage in their learning. This ensures they receive appropriate levels of support when they move

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

Children visit the nursery with their parents and short settling-in visits mean their need for additional support when they enter the nursery is addressed. Children are allocated a key person and relationships between adults and children are developing into secure attachments. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are allocated a key practitioner who has attended training in working with them and this means overall, their needs are met. However, there is not enough consideration given to contingency plans or staff deployment to ensure children's needs are met when their key person is absent from the setting. As a result, children are not fully supported at all times. For example, there are no decisive plans in place to support a child who needs help with mobility.

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

The nursery is a friendly environment. Older children demonstrate they are confident to independently access resources and because their time in the nursery is child-led, they can choose their favourite activities. Children who are established in the nursery are confident around visitors and are comfortable to chat about their friends and their learning experiences. The nursery works with the local schools to support children who are moving on to school by inviting them to the nursery to meet the children and discuss their progress. This ensures they enjoy some continuity in their care when the time comes for them to move on to the next stage in their learning.

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

Children are well behaved because boundaries are implemented consistently and explanations are simple and age-appropriate. This means they are developing an appropriate understanding of 'right' and 'wrong'. As a result, they are developing suitable peer relationships because they share, take turns and consider each other's needs. Children attending the nursery live in a diverse cultural community. They develop their understanding of equality and diversity through celebrations of culture, stories and resources. For example, small world figures depict people from different cultures. Simple, age-appropriate explanations help them to understand the requirements of people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children are learning to tolerate each other's differences and this helps to prepare them for the larger social environment of school.

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

Daily hazard checks ensure equipment is safe and suitable for use. The nursery promotes children's safety by completing risk assessments across the premises. Practitioners teach children to risk assess for themselves, such as negotiating outdoor play equipment safely and during music sessions when they are discouraged from wrapping scarves around their necks. This means children are learning how to keep themselves and others safe. They learn personal hygiene through practical routines and this promotes their independence in self-care. As a result, they can attend to their own self-care needs when they move on to school. Children's understanding of self-care and the needs of others is reinforced by practitioners who encourage them to care for the nursery pets. Children discuss how Eddie the hairless guinea pig needs to be bathed and cream applied to his skin each week to keep him healthy.

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

Practitioners support children's understanding of how a healthy diet and exercise contribute to their overall well-being. They have free access to the outdoor area where they enjoy play in all weathers. Practitioners involve them in team games that promote their physical development as they run, jump and skip. Children enjoy a suitable range of balanced meals prepared by the nursery cook, and can make choices from a variety of healthy snacks and drinks.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward by Ofsted due to concerns raised about aspects of the operation of the nursery. The management team has taken action to review safeguarding policies and to promote transparency in safeguarding procedures. Care routines for children have been revised and all staff are complying with new procedures. Records of children's care routines have been reassessed to ensure they are consistent and accurate. Recruitment and induction procedures have been reviewed to ensure future recruitment is robust in ensuring practitioners are suitable to work with children. However, these are yet to be implemented and recruitment procedures are not yet robust enough to ensure suitability checks are completed for all adults working in the nursery. As a result, Disclosure and Barring Service checks have not been obtained for students on placement in the nursery, although the risk to children is not significant because students are

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provision

supervised at all times. However, the nursery is not meeting the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage or the requirements of the Childcare Register.

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provision

The management of the nursery is overseen by a committee of trustees. Policies and procedures for protecting children are reviewed by the management team. They are available in the nursery for parents to view and some of them are included in parent information packs. This means parents are aware of the service on offer to them and are knowledgeable about the procedures in place to keep their children safe. All practitioners have completed child protection training to develop their knowledge of safeguarding issues. Entrance to the nursery is via a buzzer and the entrance is monitored by the nursery managers using closed-circuit television. The identification of visitors is checked and detailed records of visitors are kept. Children's attendance, including when they arrive and leave, is recorded. Daily checks make certain the environment is safe and suitable for children. There are 13 practitioners who hold a current first aid certificate, which means

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provision

that they can give appropriate treatment if there is an accident to a child in their care.

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provision

The management team demonstrate some commitment to driving improvement and raising the standards of the provision, by completing staff appraisals and encouraging practitioners to attend additional training to improve their skills. However, evaluation of the nursery's practice by the management team is inadequate. Systems in place for monitoring performance and the quality of teaching are not effective in identifying and prioritising significant weaknesses. Managers and senior practitioners have a sufficient knowledge of the learning and development requirements, but are not successfully evaluating whether they are meeting them. As a result, action taken to address identified areas for improvement is not swift or adequate. For example, managers are aware there are significant weaknesses in the use of observations and planning but they are not taking timely or sufficient action to make improvements to benefit the children who attend. The

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provision

management team are aware there are significant weaknesses in the key person system and deployment of staff but are not proactive in putting measures in place to action the areas that require improvement. This demonstrates there is no clear commitment to improvement and there are no decisive action plans in place to raise the standard of the provision. Nevertheless, the nursery seeks the views of parents through daily conversations and this means that parents have the opportunity to share their suggestions and ideas. For example, the nursery has made some changes to the layout of support access for a child who uses a wheelchair.

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provision

Partnerships with other professionals who provide early intervention services are sufficient to ensure there are suitable systems in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery works with the local schools to ensure information essential to the care of children when they move into school is shared. Parents comment that they value the support they receive from the nursery in meeting the care needs of their children.

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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 any person caring for, or in regular contact with children, is suitable to work with children, which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure any person caring for, or in regular contact with children, is suitable to work with children, which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (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 EY331865 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 941930

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 37 Number of children on roll 67 Name of provider Rossington Miners' Welfare Scheme Committee Date of previous inspection 31/05/2011 Telephone number 01302 868684

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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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