Cuddles Day Nursery Parkstone

Cuddles Day Nursery Rossmore, Herbert Avenue, Poole, Dorset, BH12 4HR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/01/2014 15/05/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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

 Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well. Staff apply clear, consistent boundaries to help children learn about what is acceptable behaviour. As a result, children develop positive relationships with others.  Partnerships with parents and external agencies are good. This contributes to children receiving good support and makes sure children's individual needs are met well.  Staff take account of children's interests, and listen to the children's voices, to enable them to plan for children's individual learning effectively.  Rigorous recruitment and vetting systems determine the staff's suitability to work with children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Organisation of routines and group activities in the pre-school rooms do not always run smoothly, and at times, children are kept waiting around, such as when going outside.  Staff do not make the most of their discussions with children to extend children's learning, for example, at times, they answer for the children and do not allow children time to talk and think.

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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 all playrooms and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation including a sample of children's records, planning and records to check staff suitability.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection and of the provider's self-evaluation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and proprietor of the nursery, and completed a joint observation with the manager of the nursery.

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Information about the setting

Cuddles Day Nursery is one of three privately owned settings run by the same provider. It opened in September 2003 and operates from a purpose built building situated within the grounds of St Aldhelms Academy, in the Parkstone district of Poole, Dorset. The nursery is available for use by members of the local community and the surrounding areas. There is disabled access to the nursery and adequate facilities for the disabled.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 314 children on roll, of whom 276 are in the early years age group. The group cares for children who learn English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery is open each weekday, for 51 weeks a year from 8am to 6pm. Children attend a variety of sessions.

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Information about the setting

There are 18 staff currently employed and all but two members of staff hold level 2 early years qualifications or above. Two of the staff, plus the owner hold Early Years Professional Status. There are additional staff employed to cover roles of driver, maintenance and administration.

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

 increase opportunities to enhance children's learning by prompting children's thinking and discussion through the play activities and allowing children time to answer questions

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

 review the organisation within the pre-school rooms so that changes of routines and activities run smoothly and children are not kept waiting for long periods of time.

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who attend

Children come into the nursery happily and quickly engage in their chosen play activity. Staff have a clear understanding of children's individual needs recognising when new or less confident children need support, such as reassuring children as they separate from parents and carers. This helps children to settle and feel secure. Parents provide details about their child's routines and favourite activities on the 'All about Me' forms, which staff use to plan for children's future learning. Staff are currently trialling new ways to plan activities with a strong focus on child-initiated learning and listening to children's voices. Choice boards are used to enable older children to select their preferred play activities. Staff carefully observe and assess children's play and achievements to enable them to respond to children's interests and tailor the play activities to support children's individual learning. For example, some of the children really like animals so staff organise a painting

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who attend

activity where children experiment using different animal figures to create animal footprints. This activity follows on from children making their own footprints in paint wearing their wellington boots, and keeps children fully engaged and interested. Children have fun playing and exploring and staff offer ongoing support to help children make good progress in their learning in relation to their capabilities and starting points.

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who attend

Parents are encouraged to get actively involved in their children's learning. This is through daily informal discussions and attending formal meetings. Staff regularly share children's 'learning journal' records with parents. This keeps parents well informed of their children's progress and enables staff to offer suggestions on how parents can further support their child's learning at home. Staff have implemented effective systems to complete the progress checks for two year old children, fully involving parents in the process.

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who attend

Staff interact with children positively, supporting them in learning skills that will help them in the future. Children are encouraged to be increasingly independent from a young age as they wash their hands and self-select their fruit at snack time. Younger children move around confidently to explore their surroundings. They pull themselves up on the low-level equipment to investigate the musical toys and sand in the tray. Staff stay close by to ensure the children's safety, skilfully modelling language, such as' tap, tap, tap', as children press sand down with their fingers. Children vocalise and make sounds in response, which helps to develop their early communication skills.

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who attend

The older children show great excitement as they join in the group parachute game outside. They listen carefully to instructions as they eagerly move their arms up and down and join in with the songs and counting. They giggle with delight as they run underneath with their friends, taking care not to knock others. This promotes children's physical development through fun play activities. Staff regularly engage children in conversation to support their communication skills. For example, older children confidently share their ideas and happily talk about 'making a chocolate cake with gold icing'. Staff introduce some number and counting through the routines and activities, such as asking children to count how many wheels are on their models. However, at times, staff do not allow children time to talk and think, because they answer for them. This means that opportunities to extend children's learning are not always maximised. All children access a

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who attend

wide range of sensory play materials, such as dough, shaving foam, paint, sand and pasta. They use their imaginations well as they play in the pretend Chinese restaurant, complete with Chinese writing, order forms, chopsticks and play food. This follows on from earlier discussions about Chinese New Year and generates lots of excitement as staff and children talk about the different foods, helping raise children's awareness of the wider world.

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

Children's emotional well-being is successfully promoted. Babies benefit from the calm environment where familiar staff know their routines and follow these so that children feel comfortable. Staff tailor the settling-in sessions to meet the children's and family's needs, organising individual home visits if necessary. The effective two-way sharing of information between parents and key staff means that staff are kept updated of children's developing needs. Staff are friendly and caring and recognise when children need an extra cuddle or reassurance, helping children feel settled and secure. The welcoming, well- resourced environment is well organised and provides separate areas for the different age groups. A broad range of good quality resources are thoughtfully positioned at child-height to enable children to make independent choices about their play activities.

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

Children are valued as individuals. They develop a strong sense of belonging as they self- register and see their artwork and photographs displayed in the nursery. The management have a clear behaviour policy in place to ensure that the staff follow consistent behaviour management strategies. The manager supports staff in dealing with children's behaviour issues, such as providing in-house training and devising specific strategies to help support children. This means children receive clear and consistent messages on what is acceptable behaviour. Younger children are helped to understand the importance of sharing and taking turns with others and older children are encouraged work things out between themselves. For example, two children negotiate who will play the part of the dog in their pretend game. This means that children are building friendships as they learn to play together nicely. Children's confidence and self-esteem are promoted well thorough

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

ongoing praise and encouragement from the staff.

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

Effective security measures are in place. Staff carry out ongoing risk assessments of all areas used by children and for any outings. This helps them to identify and minimise any hazards to children. Older children participate in supporting staff to carry out checks on the environment. They use a pictorial list and tick off areas as they look to see if doors are closed and whether there is anything dangerous on the floor. This helps children to become increasingly aware of hazards and how to prevent accidents. Staff talk to the children about the importance of using their 'walking shoes' when they move about the indoor play space. This teaches children how to keep themselves and others safe. Staff supervise children closely to help them stay safe in their play. For example, they hold the younger children's hands as they learn to balance and climb on the wooden logs outside. All staff and children take part in regular fire drills so they are clear of how to evacuate the

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

Staff follow effective procedures to promote children's good health. Children are familiar with the daily routines to maintain good personal hygiene and know to wash their hands before eating. Good nappy changing procedures used by staff contribute towards keeping children healthy. Children are provided with a wide range of healthy snacks and meals. Hot meals are delivered to the nursery daily and parents can order these on the weekly menu forms. Staff link with parents about the babies feeding requirements and gain information about any children's special dietary requirements. Clearly recorded information helps to make sure that all staff are aware of any particular allergies so that children remain healthy. Children get regular fresh air and exercise through daily access to a wide range of outdoor play activities and experiences. They have fun as they run freely, climb and balance on the play equipment and steer the pedal bikes around lines. This

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

encourages children's physical development and helps them to learn new skills.

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provision

The inspection was brought forward due to concerns received by Ofsted about the nursery, in particular, concerns about safeguarding and behaviour management. The inspection found that the management and staff have a secure understanding of their role and responsibilities with regard to keeping children safe. A member of staff designated as the safeguarding officer works closely with the owner and manager to support the staff team. All staff receive a copy of the nursery safeguarding policies, which includes the nursery's whistle-blowing procedures. The manager covers safeguarding with new staff through their induction so they are clear of their roles and responsibilities. Staff complete safeguarding training and are clear of their role if they have any concerns about a child in their care. Thorough recruitment and vetting arrangements are in place to check the suitability of staff to work with children. The nursery's detailed policies and procedures,

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provision

alongside all the required documentation, help to support children's safety and welfare. All records are easily accessible and stored securely to maintain confidentiality.

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provision

The management team have a clear drive for the continuous development of the provision. The well-qualified team leaders are supportive of newer and less experienced staff to help provide consistency for children. Overall, the sessions run smoothly. However, at certain times, organisation of some of the routines is not always effective and as a result, children are kept waiting, for example, when going outside. The required child- adult ratios are maintained with agency staff employed by the management to cover any staff vacancies. Key staff make sure that the children continue to be supported well at these times. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements. Assessment arrangements are effective and used well to monitor children's progress. The management team review children's learning journals to help them monitor the delivery of the

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provision

educational programme. They use this to support the staff and identify any additional training needs. Staff are encouraged to attend training to continue to update their knowledge and skills. A staff conference is organised twice a year with outside speakers invited to talk about specific topics, such as a holistic approach to children's learning. The owner, manager and staff team continue to review the activities and look at ways to improve outcomes for children. They link closely with their local authority early years advisors to gain ideas and suggestions for further development of the provision.

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provision

Strong partnerships with parents, carers and external agencies mean that children's care and development is supported well. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator has a good understanding of her role and she works very closely with others involved in children's care. This involves linking with parents and other professionals, such as the speech therapist and portage worker. She supports the staff to provide care for children that is tailored for their specific needs. Parents receive comprehensive information about the nursery through the parent pack, newsletters and access to the nursery website. The parents and carers are encouraged to share their views about the nursery and any concerns raised are investigated thoroughly. A written response is provided to parents and carers to inform them of the outcome. Parents speak positively about the nursery. They particularly value how the staff support children's individual needs and keep to the specific

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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 EY270251 Local authority Poole Inspection number 949422 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 90 Number of children on roll 314 Name of provider Cuddles Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 15/05/2009 Telephone number 01202 747198

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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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