Kindercare (Hgte) Ltd

Kindercare Limited Heworth Green, 26 Heworth Green, YORK, YO31 7TA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/03/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children are provided with a variety of activities and are cared for in a well-resourced and stimulating environment, which offers them choice in their play.  Practitioners work well with parents to find out about children's individual needs, which means they are able to provide care that is consistent with that which children receive at home. Consequently, children settle well and develop close bonds with their carers.  Children are cared for in an environment where any risks to their safety are minimised effectively. This means children are well protected and kept free from harm.

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It is not yet good because

 The arrangements for coaching and monitoring the performance of practitioners are not fully effective. This means inconsistencies in the quality of teaching are not promptly identified and addressed. Consequently, children's learning and development is not always well supported.  Practitioners do not consistently support and encourage older children to fully develop and use their independence at lunchtime and benefit from the social aspect of the experience.  Self-evaluation is not sufficiently rigorous as it does not take full account of the views of practitioners and parents to fully help in setting targets for the future, in order to support long-term achievements and outcomes for all children.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises and observed children in the playrooms and the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the deputy manager and spoke with practitioners and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children and discussed the provider's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, planning documents and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation with the deputy manager of an activity that involved a group of older children learning about the concept of opposites.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Kindercare Limited registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register. It is privately owned and is part of the Kindercare group of nurseries, based in the north of England. It operates from detached premises in the Malton Road area of York. Children are cared for in seven rooms over two floors and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. There is no lift access to the first floor. The nursery serves the local area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, two hold level 2, one has level 4, one holds level 5 and one has level 6. A cook is also employed. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions and there are currently 59 children on roll. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-olds. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 implement rigorous arrangements for the performance management and coaching of practitioners to promptly identify and address inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, to ensure all children are well supported in their learning.

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

 improve the organisation of lunchtime, so older children are fully supported by practitioners to develop and use their independence and further develop their social skills, for example, enabling children to serve their own food and sitting with them and initiating conversation

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

 develop rigorous self-evaluation that takes full account of the views of practitioners and parents to fully help in setting targets for the future, in order to support long- term achievements and outcomes for all children.

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who attend

The nursery's practitioners regularly observe children, track their progress and identify the next steps in their learning. However, their knowledge and understanding of how children learn most effectively is variable, which means the quality of teaching is not consistent across the setting. For example, during an activity to help older children learn about the concept of opposites, a practitioner uses matching cards successfully with them. She asks lots of questions and gives children clues, to help them think and find the answer. For example, when a child picks up a picture of a door she asks 'Is the door open or closed?' and the child responds with 'It's open'. The practitioner praises the child and asks her if she can find a card showing a door that is closed. The child does so successfully and the practitioner reinforces the difference with 'This door is open and this door is closed'. This successfully supports the shape, space and measure aspect of children's mathematical

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who attend

development. However, craft activities for very young children are not always planned successfully, to ensure they can take part at their level of development. For example, the paintbrushes they are given to use are too long for their small hands, and they do not yet have the coordination in their movements to keep the paint on the small cut out shapes they are asked to paint. In addition, older children's creative activities are sometimes over adult directed and they are not given opportunities or challenged to use the skills they have. For example, children are given only one colour of paint and asked to paint a picture of a pig. This means they are not fully encouraged to bring their own ideas to the activity. Also, children who can write their own name are not encouraged to do so on their paper before painting, to develop their use of writing for a purpose. Consequently, opportunities to support children to make good individual progress are not maximised and children are

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who attend

not always challenged and supported fully in their learning. This means they are not as well prepared to move on to school when the time comes as they could be.

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who attend

Practitioners provide a bright and welcoming environment for children to play and learn. Resources are well presented and easily accessible, which means children can make choices in their free play and follow their interests. For example, several children enjoy dressing up in various costumes and acting out different roles, while a baby sits on a comfy sofa and looks at a book by himself, carefully turning the pages as he does so. Words and numbers are displayed, both indoors and outside, to show children how these have meaning and how they can be used in different contexts. For example, words associated with healthy eating are displayed above the snack table and number lines are displayed at children's level, to encourage them to count and order numerals.

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who attend

Practitioners successfully support children to develop their communication and language skills. For example, they obtain key words for children who speak English as an additional language when they first start, to aid communication. Opportunities for children of all ages to join in with singing and rhymes are provided, so they learn through repetition and word patterns. Practitioners emphasis words, such as 'splash' as babies drop items into the water tray and pat the water with their hands. This means they are supported in learning to make connections between actions and words. Practitioners successfully use picture cards as a learning tool with older children to encourage them to use words to describe, such as naming animals and where they live. Parents are appropriately informed of children's learning and development in the nursery. For example, practitioners make children's individual learning files accessible at all times for them to view. Parents are

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who attend

asked to record children's achievements at home, so these can be added to their learning record. This means practitioners have an understanding of children's development outside the setting. Consequently, they are building up a holistic view of children's progress.

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

Children's transitions into the nursery are managed well through settling-in visits, so they gradually become familiar with their new environment. If children do become upset when they first start, practitioners sensitively reassure them and engage them in activities they know are of interest to them. As a result, children soon settle and are happy to attend. Practitioners demonstrate a caring approach and build warm and positive relationships with children. For example, they calmly reassure children if they have an accident, explaining what they are doing when applying any first aid treatment. This means children do not feel intimidated by the process. Key persons talk to parents each day and provide a written record of how the care routines of very young children have been met, which reassures parents that the care children receive is consistent with their home life and that children have security and stability.

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

Practitioners provide effective support and guidance to help children develop a sound understanding of following healthy hygiene practices. For example, they ensure children wash their hands before mealtimes and encourage them to use a face cloth to clean their face after eating. This encourages children to develop their self-care skills and helps to prepare them to be independent in this area when they move on to school. Children are provided with healthy and nutritious meals. At snack time practitioners encourage older children to take their own plate to a table set out with plates of fresh fruit and to choose what they would like to eat. At snack time children strive to be a 'champion' as they drink up their water and delight in describing how this keeps them healthy. However, similar opportunities for children to use their independence at lunchtime are not fully promoted. In addition, practitioners do not fully engage with children at this time, to promote

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

conversation, for example, which means children do not benefit fully from the social experience of mealtimes as well as they could do. Children learn to behave well because they have secure boundaries and know what is expected of them. For example, they know to put on an apron before messy play and to help tidy away after activities, to keep their environment tidy. Older children sit together well during group activities, which shows they respect each other's space. Areas are provided where children can sit if they want to be quiet and have time to themselves according to their needs, which promotes their emotional well-being.

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

Children of all ages enjoy daily outdoor play, which provides them with fresh air and gives them more freedom to move about. This means babies, for example, can practise their emerging walking skills on a larger scale and can learn to throw small balls. Older children develop control of their bodies and learn to coordinate their movements as they manoeuvre wheeled toys and use the steps to the slide. They successfully learn about cause and effect as they put balls into a tube and hold it up to make them come out. They make marks on a bigger scale as they chalk on concrete edging, which helps lay the foundations for their future writing skills. Practitioners effectively support children to learn about their own personal safety. For example, as older children try to cut up their food, practitioners remind them to hold the food steady with their fork before they push down with their knife. Children learn to manage their own risks outdoors because practitioners

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

provide materials, such as tyres and planks of wood, for them to build their own obstacle courses. This means children arrange these in a way they are comfortable with. They know to ask for help, should they need this. For example, one child asks a practitioner to hold his hand, to aid his balance as he walks along a plank of wood.

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provision

Children are well protected because practitioners have a sound knowledge and understanding of how to keep them safe. For example, the premises are kept secure at all times and regular risk assessments and daily checks ensure any potential hazards are identified and minimised effectively. Children are well supervised at all times. For example children's names are recorded on an 'outdoors register' as they go out and they are crossed off when they come back. This ensures children are fully accounted for at all times. Practitioners attend safeguarding training and can recognise the possible signs and symptoms of abuse. They know to whom they should refer any concerns about a child's welfare or safety. All practitioners undergo suitable recruitment, vetting and induction procedures. Consequently, informed decisions about their suitability are made and they fully understand their roles and responsibilities. As a result, they follow the nursery

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provision

procedures well. For example, they are vigilant in making sure their mobile phones are not used on the premises and they promptly record any accidents children incur and share these with parents on collection. This means the nursery operates safely on a day-to-day basis.

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provision

The management team is always on site and the deputy manager is very capable in taking charge in the manager's absence. The nursery has recently changed ownership and areas for development in terms of improving the layout of the building have been identified. This shows the owner is responsive to moving the service forward. However, practitioners' and parents' views of the service have not been fully explored. This means the owner and management have not precisely evaluated the nursery's strengths and other areas for development, to help shape the service to meet the needs of all users. The monitoring of the educational programmes is starting to provide management with an overview of the progress all children are making in the nursery and where there may be gaps in their learning and how these can be addressed. Most of the staff team are suitably qualified and experienced. However, the arrangements to monitor their ongoing performance are

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provision

not sufficiently rigorous. This means that management cannot fully assess the quality of teaching in order to provide mentoring, coaching and further training where necessary. Consequently, children's learning is not always supported consistently and effectively.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are positive. For example, they are provided with ongoing information through discussion, daily diary sheets for very young children and regular newsletters. Parents' comments about the nursery are positive overall. For example, they describe practitioners as being very friendly and that they welcome their children and meet their individual needs. However, some state that they are not sure how to make a complaint, should the need arise. The nursery has links with the local schools, which supports children's transitions to the next stage in their learning. For example, teachers are welcome to visit the nursery to meet children before they move into their care. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well, through close partnership working with parents and other agencies involved in their care and by following targeted support plans.

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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 EY463376 Local authority York Inspection number 938523 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 59 Name of provider Kindercare (Harrogate) Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01904414848

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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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