Elephant Moon Day Nursery Cheltenham

Monkey Puzzle Ivanhoe House, St. James Square, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3QG

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/02/2013 21/09/2009

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Children are making good progress in their development across all areas of learning.  Well-planned excursions into the local community provide excellent opportunities for children to develop their knowledge of the world.  Strong partnerships with parents and others involved in children's care help to ensure consistency for children's care and learning.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Although many good hygiene procedures are implemented and food hygiene is generally promoted well work surfaces from which food is served are not always kept clear and washed down before and after food is served.  The educational programme to support older children's literacy development is not always well-considered; as a result children do not have regular good opportunities to look at books freely and use writing for different purposes.

p.1

Information about this inspection

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

p.2

Information about this inspection

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

p.2

Information about this inspection

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

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to management staff during the inspection.  The inspector observed children at play and staff working with them.  The inspector spoke to parents.  The inspector reviewed policies and procedures.  The inspector reviewed children's daily diaries and learning journeys.

p.2

Information about the setting

Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery opened in 2006. It operates over three floors of a building close to the centre of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. The ground floor is occupied by the pre-school children, 'tweenies and toddlers' are based on the middle floor and the baby unit is on the top floor. Children have access to an enclosed, outdoor play area with decking and safety flooring. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm for 51 weeks of the year, except for Bank Holidays. The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 80 children aged from three months to under five years on roll, some in part- time places. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children learning English as an additional language. There are 14 members of staff, of whom two are working towards a qualification and 12 hold appropriate early

p.3

Information about the setting

years qualifications. Of these, two have gained Early Years Professional Status and one has achieved qualified teacher status. The setting provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds and operational links are in place with other early years providers.

p.3

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

 improve hygiene conditions relating to food serving areas, for example, by keeping worktops around the sink clear so that they are washed down before and after serving food

p.3

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

 build on the literacy skills of older children by increasing their access to high quality books and providing more writing materials so they can experiment with writing during role-play and other activities.

p.3

who attend

In all three classrooms, children participate in stimulating indoor and outdoor play-based activities that have a positive impact on their learning and development. Ample opportunities exist for each child to choose to play in ways that are exactly suited to their particular stage of development. For example, babies shuffle and play with wheeled toys on the floor that encourage them to be curious and physically adventurous. Toddlers enjoy playing with a garage and cars that enable them to make thoughtful connections with the real world around them. Children in the preschool classroom play with interest in the role- play area where they dress up and take on roles as policemen and use their developing social and language skills effectively. The range of activities provided in each classroom strikes a good balance and ensures that children's care and educational needs are both well met.

p.3

who attend

Staff use an extensive range of assessment methods to record each child's progress overtime. Observations, a daily diary, a learning journey and developmental lists are used to monitor each child's development so that an accurate record exists for the two-year check and for when children move on to school. Staff use assessment results effectively to plan each child's individualised activities so that the required areas of learning are well supported. Assessments are consistently shared with parents so that each child's learning is monitored and reinforced in the both the childcare centre and at home. Staff consistently support children who have special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language so they receive the help they need to make good progress.

p.4

who attend

Good partnership working takes place between staff and parents and this benefits children's development. Parents praise how well staff help children to settle into the childcare routine. They value the continuity provided by the key person and how well they help parents to seek professional support for their children as appropriate. Parents are encouraged to support their child's care and learning in the nursery; they write in the daily diary, write 'WOW vouchers' detailing children's achievements at home and attend progress meetings regularly. This has a positive impact on the outcomes for children.

p.4

who attend

The daily routine consists of a good varied programme that is supportive of children's learning and care requirements in all areas. Personal and social development is well provided for across the age-range. For example, babies enjoy warm interaction with staff throughout their daily routine that consists of periods of play, sleep, eating and personal needs being met. Toddlers enjoy playing with puppets to help them explore emotions, while older children are beginning to play alongside others and starting to build friendships. Children's communication and language development is well supported by staff who are highly responsive to babbling babies', and encourage toddlers' language development as they look at cloth and board books together. Good indoor and outdoor facilities support children's physical development as they take part in music and movement activities and as they play with a parachute outdoors. While some children's early literacy

p.4

who attend

development is strongly supported through books, treasure baskets, and painting, fewer opportunities exist for older children to look at books independently and develop writing skills. Excellent opportunities exist for children to develop their knowledge of the world by visiting the local park, town centre and visits to the local library to enjoy story-time sessions. Some good opportunities exist for children to explore their mathematical understanding and that also allow them to express themselves creatively.

p.4

who attend

Purposeful connections exist between staff and local primary schools that help children prepare for their move to school. In the term before children leave, reception teachers visit the childcare centre to give children an opportunity to meet their teachers. Staff provide progress reports to local schools so that reception teachers are able prepare effectively to meet children's learning needs on arrival.

p.4

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

Many well-developed opportunities exist for children to build confidence. Children are encouraged to show initiative as they make choices in their play and take photographs of what they do so that they take pride in their own achievements. Staff enthusiastically help children to become independent by preparing snack and pouring their own drinks. Staff model positive behaviour to children so that they are able to get along with each other and develop good friendships. The effective key person system helps build highly committed relationships between staff, children and parents so that supportive lines of communication exist. For the most part, staff closely interact with children in play, for example, as they act out a Halloween party and explore paint using different brushes.

p.5

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

The daily routine provides children with some good structured opportunities that enable their all-round needs to be met. Sleep and changing routines enable babies, in particular, to experience very high standards of care. Good sized classrooms enable children to move around freely indoors, while stimulating opportunities to enjoy outdoor play exist in the safe, enclosed area where they can climb, balance and use the wheeled play vehicles.

p.5

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

Healthy lifestyles are well promoted by staff as they serve children freshly prepared meals and snacks that help to ensure that children are well nourished. Good standards of health and hygiene are for the most part embedded throughout the day and promote a safe environment for children. For example, a thorough system exists to store and give children medicines that are only used under parents' instructions. Staff wear plastic gloves as they handle food to help promote good hygiene standards. The installation of new sinks in classrooms enables staff and children's to wash their hands throughout the day and minimise the risk of infection. However, the work surface from which staff serve food to children is cluttered with papers making it difficult to wash down and keep clean, to maximise food safety.

p.5

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

Good space in classrooms enables children to use and move resources around to develop their play. There are ample resources for each child and suitable furniture exists to store resources. In some areas however it is more difficult for children to reach resources independently.

p.5

provision

The management takes a highly responsible attitude towards safeguarding children. All staff are rigorously checked for their suitability and qualifications to work with young children. Thorough safeguarding policies and procedures are in place that guide staff actions and aim to keep children safe at all times. Copies of policies are given to staff, discussed at staff meetings and made available to parents so that keeping children safe is understood by all. Staff are designated to oversee safeguarding to ensure that all staff implement procedures effectively and to see that new practices learned on training courses are shared.

p.5

provision

Safety and security measures are good. Closed circuit television monitors children in classrooms and people who enter the building. Key pad security is used to control access to different parts of the building so that children are kept safe. Walkie-talkie radios are used by staff during outdoor play to summon extra staff support if needed. An accident book is used to document accidents. Copies of accident reports are routinely shared with parents and monitored to assess the effectiveness of risk assessment. Risk assessments are firmly embedded in the daily routine and older children are encouraged to contribute and record their own classroom and outdoor safety checks. Occasionally activity within the areas children eat result in items being left where food is to be served. This means that staff do not always clean the serving area thoroughly and this is not consistent with the other good food hygiene precautions taken. Exceptional attention is paid to ensuring that

p.6

provision

children stay safe during outings into the town centre. For example, children wear high visibility yellow jackets, triple pushchairs are checked, children wear hand-reins and all staff accompanying the children hold paediatric first aid certificates.

p.6

provision

Managers are highly diligent in ensuring that registration requirements concerned with the number of children, staff child ratios and supervision levels are consistently met and have a positive impact on the quality of provision. Clear documentation and policies help to secure good staff practices in the areas of staff recruitment, induction, appraisal and professional development. These policies motivate staff to regularly review their practice and identify targets for continued improvements that intentionally benefit children and their learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.6

provision

On a daily basis, thorough procedures exist that connect assessment to planning of activities, so that each child's individual learning needs are accurately tracked and met. Using the daily diary and through face to face contact, staff invite parents to contribute relevant ideas for their child's planned activities so that parents are kept well informed about their child's learning and the progress they make.

p.6

provision

Self-evaluation is fully embedded into childcare practices. Staff teams regularly review and evaluate their work in their classroom and identify areas for improvement. For example, staff suggested that installing a sink in each classroom would improve hand-washing routines and locating toys in the nappy changing area would interest babies. Good opportunities for parents to contribute to the self-evaluation process exist and enable parents' perspectives to be included in targets and plans for development.

p.6

provision

Strong partnerships exist between staff and parents that enable good links between the childcare setting and the home supporting of children's learning. From the time parents register their child, abundant information about the childcare provision is made available and some good opportunities exist for parents' involvement.

p.6

provision

Well established partnerships exist with primary schools, the local authority and with support agencies that enrich the provision and provide specialist support and equal opportunities to all children. Focused communication is made with other childcare facilities so that the needs of children who attend more than one setting are understood by staff and provided for in both settings.

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 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.

p.8

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.

p.8

Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY320769 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 901142 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 57 Number of children on roll 82 Name of provider SA Childcare Limited Date of previous inspection 21/09/2009 Telephone number 01242 577779

p.9

Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

p.9

Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

p.9

Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.10

Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

p.10

Type of provision

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

p.11

Type of provision

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

p.11